DragonFriend
by VarelliaNoel
Summary: Freya the Dragonborn has been through many followers. One too silent, one too loud. One too drunk, one too sober. When she finally finds the perfect guy for the job, an accident changes everything. Will he carry her to victory against the World-Eater, or will he leave her in her time of need? Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim, or anything else. I'm just using it for a minute, I swear.

Author's Note: Okay. So I haven't written anything in a while, and at 2 am I got the idea for this story. I wrote till 5, was reprimanded by my father for being up so late (early?), and finished working on chapter 1 mere minutes ago. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this. If people like it, then I'll keep writing it. If not, well... I'll just eat it. For dinner. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter One

Hi. I'm Freya. This is my story. It's boring at times, and sappy at others. But one thing I can say about my story is that it's pretty crazy. It's jam packed full of adventure, danger, and maybe even a little romance. But that depends on the way I want to tell it.

To get started, I'll tell you about meeting one of the main characters in the story. Truthfully, I wouldn't be here saying this without him. You probably wouldn't be here either. You'd just be a soul trapped in the belly of a very fat, very happy dragon named Alduin, whom you will meet later.

But for now, on with the show!

There I was, just a humble lady spending a fabulous spring day in Whiterun. The birds were chirping, the cow was mooing, and old man Eorland could be heard banging away at the Skyforge.

There was this strange woman walking around blabbing about how women are good for more things than just cooking and popping out kids. _Ummm… Duh,_ I thought_. I mean, you're talking to the DRAGONBORN here lady._ I had to save the _world_. Which reminded me why I was there in the first place.

I had just let my follower go. Sad, right? No. The lazy bastard did nothing but drink all of my mead, pass out in random places, and make disgusting advances that went to the tune of, " Hey purdy *hic* lady. 'Ave I ever told you the story about me killin' *hic* a snowy saber cat? *hic* There I was…" blah blah blah. I must have heard that story a hundred times. At least. The only thing that counts is that I left him safe and sound somewhere in Riften. Hopefully he didn't fall into the canal in his drunken stupor. I'm sure he's fine…. I hope.

So I was on my way to the Bannered Mare to rustle me up a new follower. Hopefully a competent one. But I was feeling a little less than hopeful as I stepped into the stuffy, dimly lit interior of the building. The large fire in the center of the floor was uncomfortably hot, especially in the spring, and it took my eyes a moment to adjust to the light.

When I could see more clearly, I instantly started scoping out the patrons, trying to find one brave or stupid enough to join me on my many various quests, and one instantly caught my eye. There was a large Nord fellow sitting on a bench staring into the fire. He had a large battle axe strapped to his back, and was staring so intensely at the fire I was worried he might attack it at any time. But hey, it was worth a shot.

"By the Nine, it's so hot in here. Spring is roaring in early. Too damned early for my tastes, anyway." I find that cursing and invoking the Gods tends to get more attention that sitting still, looking all pretty, and waiting for them to come to me. This guy? Nothing. He didn't even blink. So after a few seconds of staring on my part, I was back to work.

There were a few more people scattered around, including the local bard and a shady looking character sitting in the darkest corner he could find. I would have tried my luck with the bard, but he looked a bit…. Girly. He kind of sang like a girl too. _I bet he would run away in a fight…._I mentally giggled_. I wish I had the time to test my theory._

Seeing as every other person in there was a farmer or a working woman, I guessed it was gonna have to be the broody dark guy. I hoped he wasn't a Dark Brotherhood assassin… But there was no time to worry about it. I had places to be, people to see, and dragons to slay.

As I walked over towards him and out of the glare of the fire, I could see him more clearly. I couldn't tell his race from where I was standing, but he definitely looked Nordy. Lightweight leather armor was draped over his lanky frame, and a bow rested within reach, propped against a nearby wall. As I came to a stop and slid into the seat across from him, I got a glimpse of his face. He had a strong Nordic jaw line and nose, full lips set in a straight line, and dark, grey-green eyes that were Elf-like in shape all set in a face framed by unruly midnight black hair. Maybe 25, 26 years old. All in all, a handsome specimen.

"So, stranger, I've never seen you here before," I stated in a light tone.

"That would be because I've never been here before," he returned, glancing up from where his hands rested on the table.

"Well then, may I formally welcome you to the wonderful city of Whiterun. May your stay be pleasant and relaxing." As the words spilled from my mouth, I noticed several of the people sitting around raise their heads from their tankards and stare at me.

"I really don't think you should be talking to me," the stranger replied. "You might be ostracized."

I was a little shocked. "Ostracized? For what, exactly?"

The stranger looked up from his hands and locked his eyes on mine. His gaze sent a shudder down my spine. They held such sorrow and pain for one so young. He paused for a moment, as if searching for the right thing to say. "For speaking to a half-breed," he finally said.

That was ridiculous. Half-breed? What the hell did that even mean? And how could I- the _Dragonborn_-be outcast for anything? Except maybe failing to defeat Alduin, but that's beside the point.

"Would you care to explain to me just what you mean by that?" By now my voice was probably louder than it should have been, and I was attracting even MORE attention. But before I could say anything else, the stranger stood (very gracefully, might I add) and grabbed his bow. In the time it took me to blink, he was disappearing through the door.

I hastily threw a few gold coins on the counter to make up for my disruption, then followed the stranger back into the streets as quickly as a lady's dignity allowed. When I stepped outside, the sun blinded me with its cheerful brightness. I quickly threw up my middle finger in its general direction.

When I could finally see again, I searched the streets for the stranger. He was striding towards the main gate, bow slung over his shoulder. I ran to catch up, throwing rushed apologies at whomever I happened to bump into in my haste. Each foot fall raised clouds of dust, reminding me that Skyrim was in dire need of rain.

"Hey, wait!" I yelled after the stranger. When I finally caught up, he spun around to face me so quickly that a nearly toppled over backwards. He stood a good head and a half taller than me, which was pretty intimidating. I expected to see anger, maybe even hatred on his face, but it was a mask of complete calm. Only his eyes told of his misery.

"What do you want, hm? To mock me and belittle me? To curse me for my parentage? Go ahead," he straightened from his slightly stooped stance and squared his shoulders as if awaiting a physical attack. His brows drew together slightly in anger.

"I just want to understand," I said quietly. "I just tried to have a conversation with someone and then all of a sudden I get yelled at? I'm the one that should be asking the questions around here." I kept my voice even and low, but my mind was raging. Who was he to talk to me like that? I'm the one that has to save the world, not him. His problems can NOT be as big as mine.

He stared at me for a moment, and eventually his posture relaxed. "You really don't know, do you? I guess you have bigger things to worry about though, being Dragonborn."

"Wait," I said, holding my splayed hands out in front of me. "You know I'm the Dragonborn?"

He half smiled, and my heart melted a teeny tiny bit. "Who doesn't know? The famous Freya is talked about throughout all of Skyrim."

My hands fell to my hips, resting on the cold strength of my steel plate armor. "Yeah? Well do I get to know who you are since you know who I am?"

He sighed, and the smile died. "Why do you want to know so badly?" he asked. "I'm not nearly as important as you are. In fact, everyone in Skyrim seems to think that dirt holds greater importance than I do."

I searched his face, looking for signs that he was joking, but found only pained sincerity. And then I got an idea. I would get the follower that I came to Whiterun for, and maybe I could help this poor beautiful sap along the way. Because helping people is what I do. I mean, I AM the Dragonborn. It's my duty to help people.

"Tell you what. I'm looking for a companion to be my back up on the road. If you tag along, you can tell me your story, and maybe I can help you. I'm not gonna promise anything because, I mean, I'm not a miracle worker. Or a god. I'm only the Dragonborn. But, you know, you can worship me if you want. I wouldn't object to that. What do you say?"

It was a risk. What if people hated him because he seduced beautiful young Nord women and then killed them while they slept peacefully? I was putting a lot at risk, but I had a feeling that this-whatever this was-was going to turn out to be something beautiful.

I stood patiently waiting for an answer, and watched flickers of emotion play across his face as he debated joining me. He sighed, looked to the west, and then looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I guess I could join you for a little while. Keep you from getting killed by frostbite spiders." I smiled up at him, despite the insult. I had found my follower, reluctant as he was.

When I walk down the street, this is what I see, everybody stops and they starin' at me,

I got power in my Voice and I ain't afraid to throw it, throw it, throw it…

I'm Freya and I know it.

Lol, had to do that. I don't own Sexy and I Know It. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim.

Author's Note: Okay, so I suck at battle scenes. Just a warning. Please bear with me on this one. Please review!Thanks for reading.

Chapter Two

And so we made our merry way out of Whiterun. I stopped to gather some things from Breezehome before we left, and I felt well equipped with my ebony bow slung over my shoulder, a quiver full of Elven arrows, and Dawnbreaker at my left hip.

We had just passed by the stable when I heard a roar somewhere off to my right. I whipped my head around and groaned when I saw a dragon circling the Western Watchtower. I was surprised to see one there, considering one of its brethren had been killed there a few short months ago.

And then it hit me. It was so unbelievably convenient that a dragon showed up just as I acquired a new follower. A follower who's strength needed testing. My eyes narrowed and a sly smile spread across my face. I could picture what I looked like: extremely mischievous.

"So stranger, have you ever fought a dragon before?" I shifted my gaze from the circling dragon so the yet-to-be-named man beside me. Eyes fixed intently on the giant flying lizard, muscles tensed, feet spread apart and knees slightly bent in a battle stance, I could tell he was ready. I smirked.

The stranger looked down at me, shrugged, and said, "After you." I chuckled before taking off at a run towards the tower, moving as quickly as my armor would allow. As we neared the tower, I grabbed my bow and nocked an arrow, letting it fly just as the dragon swooped overhead. The arrow caught the dragon in the underside of its neck, and the dragon let out an earthshaking roar. _And now I have your attention, _I thought.

"All right. Now," I said, turning to the stranger, "you have to watch. This is no cave bear, and if you screw up, you die. Get it on the ground as fast as possible, and I'll move in for the kill." I smirked. "Let's see if you're any good with that bow."

The stranger nodded, eyes on the dragon as it banked around the tower towards us. I watched as in one fluid movement he drew his bow and fired an arrow at the beast. I hadn't even noticed when he'd grabbed the arrow, and before I could say anything, he let another arrow fly.

_Damn, he's good,_ I thought before turning my attention to the enraged dragon. Just as I was about to fire another arrow, the dragon stopped in midair, hovering above us.

"Run!" I yelled. "Get out of the way!" I jumped and rolled to the side just before a blast of flames scorched the ground I had previously been standing on. I scrambled to my feet just as the dragon was struggling to gain altitude, and Shouted, "Krii lun aus!" at its retreating form.

The dragon roared again, swooped down, tucked its wings in, and smashed into the ground. It slid towards me, cleaving the earth and shoving rocks aside. As the dragon picked itself up, I ran towards it, threw my bow aside, and drew Daybreaker. The dragon swung its great horned head around, and I feinted to the right to avoid its snapping jaws. I worked my way to the dragon's left side, trying to avoid both its teeth and its wing, slashing at its face as I went. The dragon growled in pain and turned its attention to its right side, where I was glad to see my new follower firing a rapid volley of arrows into the dragon's shoulder and neck.

I was just about to cut a slice in the membrane of its wing when said wing was thrust at me. It caught me in the stomach, knocking the air from my lungs. Gasping for breath, I took a few steps back, mentally berating myself for the mistake. _You're better than that and you know it. Pay attention! _I chided.

Meanwhile, the great beast was weakening, its breathing becoming more ragged and labored. Blood streamed from an arrow protruding from its right wing. I almost felt sorry for the creature. I might have felt worse if the thing wasn't attacking my homeland and killing everything in its path.

I chose to move back to the front while it was distracted, hoping to deal the final blow. The stranger saw me coming and I motioned for him to stop shooting. I wanted the beast's full attention. As soon as he stopped firing, I swiped a glancing blow off the scales on the dragon's neck. It turned its head, slower than expected, and made one last half-hearted attempt to close its teeth on me. I dodged easily and brought Dawnbreaker down point first between the dragon's eyes. I felt the blade pierce the skull before the dragon shuddered and collapsed.

I stumbled backwards, leaving Dawnbreaker embedded in the dragon's head. Unexpectedly, my legs folded beneath me and I fell into a halfway seated position a few feet away from the motionless creature.

My breath came in heaving gasps and my heart beat sounded like galloping horse's hoof beats. I faintly registered movement beside me, and the stranger's low, silky voice floated through the fog shrouding my head.

"You okay?" he asked quietly. I nodded, trying to catch my breath. "So that's what you were born to do." I nodded again. My gaze rested upon the dragon's body. "Doesn't seem too hard."

I laughed out loud. I felt sick from all the adrenaline pumping through my system, and pondered over whether or not I should heave my breakfast out all over the stranger. _Doesn't seem too hard, eh? Let's see how hard it is to clean my vomit out of your armor, shall we?_

I only got about a half a minute's rest before the dragon's flesh faded to ash and its soul swept to join with mine. As the soul bonded itself to mine, the sick feeling started to fade and a sense of complete calm washed over me.

"That was…. interesting," I heard the stranger say. And that's when I realized that I had never even asked his name before. I couldn't keep calling him "the stranger". Eventually he wouldn't be a stranger to me. If he lasted long enough, he might become my friend, not just my follower.

"What's your name?" I asked, eyes on the gargantuan skeleton lying before us.

After a pause, he replied, "Silas."

"Well, Silas, do you still want to come with me?" My inquiry was deadpan. I didn't want to sound too hopeful or too tired, even though I felt like sleeping for a year. I turned my head to look at him as he gazed at our surroundings. The mountains, the trees, everything. There was nothing that those haunting eyes couldn't see. And then he looked at me. His eyes were still filled with a great sadness, but I also saw a newfound sense of purpose, and maybe the beginning of hope.

"I don't have anything better to do," he stated. _I'm taking that as a yes,_ I thought. I turned my gaze back to the skeleton after a few seconds and then nodded.

"Well, I guess we should get a moving then."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim. But I do wish I lived there. That'd be pretty frickin sweet. Except for the fact that I would probably die within 2 days of being there. But still...

A/N: Thank you to my one reviewer. Seriously, this story wouldn't have made it past ch 1 without you. So thanks. :) Also, I changed the genre from humor to hurt/comfort because idk if I can keep this story funny when the shit hits the fan. Just sayin. Sorry. Anyway, read on! And if you are reading, PLEASE review. I would really like to know your thoughts on my story, just please don't flame me. I might cry. Seriously, I'm sensitive. REVIEW PLEASE. That's all. :)

Chapter 3

I grabbed Dawnbreaker's hilt and pulled the blade free of the dragon's skull. Next I looked around for my bow and found it lying near a large rock. I stooped over to pick it up. As my back straightened, my stomach muscles screamed their frustration, and I muttered curses as I dropped my bow again.

"Are you okay?" Silas asked from somewhere behind me. Right hand on my abdomen, I turned my head to grin at him. His face was blank, eyes a liquid forest.

"I'm fine. Really," I assured him. I reached down and picked up my bow, being careful to move slowly this time. _So much for my good day._ I snorted.

"Where are we going?" I looked over at Silas, where he was standing completely calm even though we had just battled and killed a mythical giant flying lizard.

"I figured we would head to Rorikstead, stay at the inn for a night, and then head to Markarth to deliver something. Any more questions?" I asked, a little annoyed. My aching muscles were _not_ helping my attitude at all.

Silas looked away and instead turned his gaze towards the west. I guessed that he was judging the distance we had to travel and the time we had left to travel it. I wondered when he would figure out that we wouldn't get there before nightfall. But instead of saying that we should just stay in Whiterun for the night, he just looked at me.

"You're the boss," he simply stated. In that moment, I knew that I never wanted to leave this guy. He could help take down a dragon without blinking, AND he just called me 'the boss'. _I'm in love…_I laughed mentally. And so we continued our journey.

We walked in silence for a while, enjoying the beautiful spring weather and the scenery. We passed Fort Greymoor, following the cobbled path as it turned towards the South. When I was tired of the silence, I decided to strike up a conversation.

"So Silas. Back in Whiterun, you said people hate you because you're the 'halfbreed'," I started. "What exactly does that mean?"

He sighed. "It means that I'm different. And to most Nords, different isn't good."

"Do you have six toes on one foot or something?" I asked.

"No. It's not something so trivial." He brought his right hand up to rub the back of his neck. "I… I mean, my parents…" I was surprised to see him stumbling for words. He seemed like such a calm, collected guy. He let his arm fall back to his side.

"People don't like me because my mother was a Wood Elf and my father's a Nord," he rushed to speak. "Ever since I was little, people treated me differently. My father tried to ignore the comments people made about me and my mother. I had no idea why everyone treated me so badly. Eventually, I… I figured it out."

I glanced at his face. His eyes were fixed on the path that we walked. I didn't know why he was being so dramatic about it. Coming from two different races of people didn't seem so bad. He looked like he got the best of both worlds. He was great with a bow, and he had a rugged handsomeness that belonged to most all Nord men.

"I don't think that's so bad. Sure, you're different, but aren't we all?" Silas looked over at me, a faint smile playing across his lips.

"I'm glad you don't find me repulsive." I smiled at him, but on the inside I felt bad for him. He had been treated horribly for his whole life because of something he couldn't control.

"To be honest, when you said that people hated you I thought it was because you murdered beautiful women. I'm glad it's not something that terrible." At that, he laughed. It was the first time I'd heard him laugh, and I liked it. I vowed to myself that I would make him laugh more often. After that, we continued on till the road forked.

The sun began to set behind the mountains, casting us in deep blue shadows. We stopped at the fork, and Silas decided to speak up about our course of action.

"You know, Rorikstead isn't really on the way to Markarth," Silas gave me information that *ahem* I already knew.

"I know," I retorted. "I just thought it might be nice to rest a bit after fighting that dragon." Honestly, my stomach muscles were on fire, and I really wanted to check on the bruise I knew had formed where the dragon's wing had hit me. My armor protected me from most of the blow, but there was a bit of a dent that was putting pressure on my abdomen. I needed to repair it and clean both my weapons and armor.

"I can keep going, but we can stop if you want." Arrogant bastard. I mimicked his voice in my head, but instead of his voice being deep and silky it was high-pitched and grating. I laughed.

"Well, I'm exhausted. I haven't slept in… three days? I think? I don't know." I scratched my head, kicking small rocks with my right foot.

"Then we'll go to Rorikstead." And that was that. I loved the fact that Silas did what I said. I mean, we'd only met about six hours before and he was already following my orders like a well-trained dog. A very attractive, very skilled dog.

We trudged for another hour before I caught sight of the village just up the hill ahead. I did a mental victory dance, thanked the Gods, and then continued trudging. My stomach muscles were feeling better (thanks to all the walking) and I was feeling a bit less drained, but still exhausted. All I could picture in my head was a warm bed piled high with blankets.

Before I knew it I was stumbling up the steps to the inn, muttering something about rooms, throwing my armor off, and collapsing into bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still don't own Skyrim. Never will.

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers. I almost cried reading the reviews I got because I'm weird. Sue me. Lol. Anyway, this chapter's out sooner than I thought it would be. Reviews make me want to write more. :) So a big thanks to all of you awesome peeps who gave me their two cents. I'm glad you all like it. If there are any mistakes, please let me know. Anyway, we continue the adventures of Freya the Dragonborn and Silas the Mysteryman. Enjoy. :)

Chapter 4

Alduin swooped over my head, so close I could feel the wind from his passing. His roar was like the crashing of a raging sea, deadly and powerful. I was drowning in the mists, unable to see more than three steps ahead of me, panicking in my solitude.

I ran. I didn't know where I was going, or what I might find. I just ran. But my fear was gaining on me. Tears streamed down my face, my breath came in short gasps, my feet stumbled on the path. I was hopeless. All alone in this nightmare, unable to escape. Alduin roared again, closer this time. He was coming for me.

There was something ahead in the mist. I couldn't see it, but I felt that it was there. Something terrible. I stumbled to a halt, too afraid to move. The mists began to clear. A great horned head rose above the straggling water droplets, a gout of hot fire erupting from its mouth. I screamed.

I was still screaming when I woke up, thrashing around on the bed. I sat bolt upright, quivering and drenched in sweat. _Just a dream, _I told myself. _The same dream you've been having since High Hrothgar. Just a dream._

My heart pounded, threatening to break out of my chest. I put a hand to my forehead, wiping away the sheen of sweat that had formed there. After disentangling myself from the sheets, I stood gazing around the room. My armor was in a heap on the floor next to the bed, and my weapons left a trail towards the door.

I collected my things and decided to get some breakfast. The smell of food wafted into my nostrils as soon as I opened the door. I swallowed, deciding that I would treat myself to a sweet roll if the innkeeper had any. And I was in luck. Mralki handed over the sweet roll, and I took one look at it before wolfing it down as quickly as possible.

"Someone's hungry," I heard from behind me. Silas walked towards where I was sitting at the bar, a grin spread across his lips. "You've got some, uh…" he trailed off, pointing to his chin. I swallowed the last mouthful before rubbing my sleeve over my mouth and chin.

Truthfully, I was embarrassed about being such a messy eater. I hoped Silas couldn't see the blush forming on my cheeks. I asked Mralki for some water, and he slid a cup over the counter towards me. I nodded my thanks before gulping it down.

"So when do you want to leave for Markarth?" Silas asked. I stared at the wood of the counter, following the grains with my eyes as they swirled and danced around each other.

"What time is it?" I asked, looking over at Silas.

"It's a little after midday," he replied.

"WHAT?" I screamed. "You let me sleep that long? We should have been gone HOURS ago!" I jumped up from the counter and ran to my room, slipping my armor on and collecting my weapons. I ran back to the counter, brought out a handful of gold coins from a pouch at my hip, threw them on the counter, and then ran outside.

The sun, always a show off, was extremely bright. After the dim interior of the inn, I was blinded. _Why does this always happen to me? _I stood just outside rubbing my aching eyes when Silas walked out of the inn. I cursed his ability to be so calm about everything.

As I regained my sight, I checked to make sure I had all of my things. After I'd checked and double checked, I walked down the steps of the inn and into the sunshine. I headed left, down the path we had come by, intending on taking a shortcut I had discovered a few weeks ago. I checked to make sure Silas was behind me. Our eyes met as I glanced back, and I sensed that he was greatly amused by the events of the day.

"Is something funny?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as I spoke. He laughed.

"Just you." He replied.

"And what is it that's so funny about me, hmm?" I stopped and turned towards him.

"Just about everything." My eyes narrowed as I bristled at his comment.

"Really now. Just because I panicked because I overslept and I'm a slob when I eat doesn't mean I'm funny." I stuck a steel-covered finger in his face.

"It's not just that," he said. "It's everything."

"Well I'm glad I'm so hilarious," I snarled. "Let's get a move on. We're wasting daylight."

I turned away from him, only to hear soft laughter. I whirled around on him with my gauntleted fist raised, intent on breaking his pretty little nose. But that only made him laugh harder. I shook my fist threateningly, and he raised his arms to cover his face.

_It's not worth it, _I told myself. I turned and stalked away. I could hear him behind me, gasping to regain his breath. My blood boiled. I desperately wanted to kill something. _Just keep walking. Just keep walking,_ I repeated the short sentence in my head, and eventually my rage subsided.

We had turned right onto the shortcut a while back, and the steep dirt path we walked was beginning to disappear. I knew Serpent's Bluff Redoubt was somewhere on our right. It was probably packed full of Forsworn, and I really didn't feel like wasting energy fighting them.

"Silas," I whispered, turning to him. "We have to be careful right here. There's a Forsworn camp just up on the other side of those rocks, and I don't really feel like fighting them. Be quiet and keep low." He nodded, a serious look on his face.

I shifted my stance to a crouch and crept forward, trying to be as silent as possible. So we moved on, and the dirt path we followed disappeared. We passed by some jagged rocks, and I knew that the camp was on the other side. I tried to move faster while staying quiet, and eventually we left the camp behind.

When I felt it was safe to do so, I straightened from my crouch, stretching my cramped leg muscles. Silas, who had been silent as death the entire time, heaved a sigh.

"That was fun," he stated. I shot him a glare and set off farther up the mountain. When we came to a cliff, I angled left and headed down the part that was less steep. The dirt path picked up again about halfway down, and we followed it to the bottom.

"Ta da!" I said excitedly. "There's the road to Markarth." I smiled at Silas, my earlier anger forgotten. We took a right on the road, and as the sun began to color the sky in shades of rose pink, orange, and red, we followed the path to Markarth.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Don't own. Belongs to Bethesda.

A/N: So here we are at the fifth chapter. I'm surprised you've stayed so long. As always, thank you for reviewing. It keeps me going. This chapter is relatively boring and uneventful. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it. :)

Chapter 5

As we stepped off the last bridge on our way to Markarth, I heaved a sigh of relief. Bridges always made me nervous, but only because there was water underneath them. I was sure Silas had noticed my aversion to water, but he had asked no questions. Smart man. I didn't want to have to explain that I couldn't swim and therefore was afraid of water.

The Dragonborn isn't supposed to be afraid of water. The Dragonborn also shouldn't be afraid to follow his or her destiny. Truthfully, I was scared of more things than I should have been. Water, giants, cows, dying, and most of all Alduin. He scared me shitless, and I didn't know how I was supposed to defeat him. He was too powerful. How could I ever win a battle against him?

"Everything okay?" Silas asked, dragging me from my thoughts.

"I'm fine," I replied. I sped up the pace, trying to get to Markarth as fast as possible. For the few minutes it took us to get to the city's walls, Silas was quiet. As we approached the door to the city, the guards opened it and allowed us inside. I nodded in thanks as we passed.

As we stepped into the city, I remembered the long years I had spent here before realizing my destiny as Dragonborn. My parents had been farmers, and sold their crops from a booth just inside the city's walls. Markarth had been my home for as long as I could remember.

"We should probably call it a night," I called over my shoulder. "The blacksmith won't be open until tomorrow morning, and I need Ghorza's help with something. We'll stay at my house here in the city tonight and get a fresh start tomorrow."

I looked back to see if Silas was listening, only to find him looking around at everything with wide, awe filled eyes. I crossed my arms, a slight smile working its way onto my face. I was content to stand for a few moments and watch him as he marveled at his surroundings.

"You've never been here before, have you?" I asked him. He glanced at me and shook his head. "Well, it looks much better in the daylight. Care to join me?" I asked, turning to walk away.

He followed reluctantly as I led him up sets of stairs and beside waterfalls. After climbing a few more steps, we reached our destination.

"Vlindrel Hall," I announced grandly. "I bought it not too long ago. Cost me a pretty penny, but it's worth it," I said, opening the door.

We stepped into the entrance hall, and I led the way into the main room, through the dining room, and into the master bedroom. I pulled my armor off and arranged it on the chest at the end of the bed, then went to the wardrobe to find something comfortable to sleep in.

"Do you want something else to wear?" I asked Silas as I pulled out articles of clothing and laid them out on the bed. I looked over at him, taking in the worn leather armor he wore, and went to search the wardrobe again. I searched for something to fit him, and finally found what I had been looking for.

"Here you go," I said, handing him a plain black shirt and pair of pants. He took the items carefully, like they would fall to pieces in his hands. "Go on," I shooed him. "You can change in one of the other rooms and leave your stuff wherever you like."

I turned back to the pile of clothes on the bed, trying to find something to wear. I finally chose a simple off-white, baggy shirt and a pair of soft brown pants. The soft cloth felt so much better against my skin than the rough tunic I wore beneath my armor.

Silas returned moments later, looking slightly uncomfortable but attractive in the all-black ensemble I had given him. "So I was looking around, and just thought you should know that there's some guy sleeping in a cot over there," he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to indicate where 'over there' was.

"That's Argis, my housecarl. Nothing to worry about," I reassured him.

"I see. I also noticed that you only have two beds here. One is currently being used by your housecarl," he gave me a pointed look. "So where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Oh, ummm," I hadn't thought about that. I didn't feel too tired because I had slept half the day away, and I also didn't really want to sleep. Remnants of the nightmare still tugged at my mind, and I didn't want to repeat that anytime soon. "You can take the bed, Silas. I'm not that tired."

"So you're not going to sleep?" he asked. I snorted.

"I need to read up on something, so don't worry about it." He gave me a skeptical look, but didn't argue. I returned the unused clothes to their rightful place, bid Silas goodnight, and left. Entering the main room, I padded on bare feet over to the bookshelf, trying to find something interesting to read.

After perusing for a few minutes, I decided on _Olaf and the Dragon. _I buried my nose in the ancient lore, reading of Olaf One-Eye and the dragon Numinex, and the night passed, quiet and uneventful.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Don't own Skyrim.

A/N: So! Here's another chapter. Thanks to all the reviewers. I don't know if this matters, but my personal theme song for Alduin is He Who Brings The Night by Two Steps From Hell. It makes me think of him every time I listen to it. So yeah. Anyway, as always, please review. Enjoy. :)

Chapter 6

The dream started the same as it always did. Running through the thick mists of Sovngarde. But instead of being afraid and desperate, all I felt was a sense of urgency. Like there was somewhere I had to be; someone to help. I heard the beating of wings, and looked up to see Alduin's dark underbelly, his tail trailing whip-like behind him as he flew. The urgent feeling grew stronger as I watched him disappear into the mists.

As the mists began to clear, the great horned head rose up out of the fog. Just as it was about to breathe a jet of flame at me, there was a roar. The black head looked up towards the sky, and an immense feeling of hope filled me. The beating of the other dragon's wings cleared the mist a bit, and I caught a glimpse of the ancient dragon hovering over Alduin.

The dragon opened its toothy maw and an eruption of flames engulfed Alduin's body. The black dragon roared in fury, but the dream was interrupted before I knew what was happening.

"Freya, wake up." I jerked my head up from where it had fallen, wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth before looking up into Silas' face. He looked amused again, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Reading, huh?"

My eyes narrowed at him, but before I could form a retort, my mouth opened in a huge yawn. I stretched my arms up high into the air, groaning in pleasure as my vertebrae popped and cracked back into place.

"This isn't the most interesting book," I said sheepishly. I stood, massaging a crick in the back of my neck.

"I can imagine," Silas drawled. "What are doing here? You mentioned delivering something earlier."

"This guy Calcelmo is obsessed with Dwarven artifacts. He asked me to bring him a Dwarven greatsword," I replied, hunting for food.

"Okay, so where's this Dwarven greatsword you're bringing him?" he asked smartly.

"I haven't made it yet," I mumbled around a mouthful of sweet roll. I heard a quiet "Ah" and then Argis walked into the room.

"My Thane," he began, but I held a hand up. His next statement died on his lips.

"How many times do I have to tell you that 'My Thane' isn't my name?" I asked tiredly. We'd been over this many times before, and still he insisted on calling me by my title instead of my name.

"I'm sorry M- uh, Freya," he stammered. "It's good to see you alive and well."

"And you, Argis." I replied. "I have some business to attend to, but we'll be back later."

I shoved the last bite of the sweet roll into my mouth and breezed hurriedly towards the door. I heard Silas' quiet footsteps behind me, and turned to him as I shut the door. "He makes me uncomfortable sometimes," I tried to explain the reason for leaving so quickly. "Having a housecarl is awkward. Especially when that housecarl is male and sleeps in a room in your house."

Silas chuckled, nodding. I couldn't help but think that he would be a much better housecarl than Argis. I wouldn't mind him sleeping in a bed in one of the other rooms. Hell, I wouldn't mind him sleeping in _my_ bed. I tried not to think about it too hard.

I led the way to the blacksmith, trying to decide if I wanted to make new armor and weapons while I was there. I had thought about making the armor the Dremora wore, but I wasn't sure if I was up to the challenge. It looked challenging, and I had no idea where I would find enough Daedra hearts to make it.

When we arrived at the shop, I noticed that, as usual, Ghorza was doing all the work and Tacitus was staring off into space.

"Hello, Ghorza," I greeted her warmly. She stopped hammering on the piece of armor she was fixing and nodded to acknowledge my presence. "Can I buy some things from you?"

"What do you need?"

"Umm… Two Dwarven metal ingots, two steel ingots, two iron ingots, and three leather strips." I watched her as she bustled around her shop, gathering the things I needed. "That'll be 117 septims."

I dug in the pouch at my side, producing the coins and counting them. I grabbed another handful, counted them, dropped four coins back into the pouch, and handed the rest to Ghorza. I took the items, ignoring the incredulous look on Silas' face, and turned to the forge.

As I worked, I thought. My mind flitted from one subject to another, eventually landing on Silas. I knew that when went to defeat Alduin in Sovngarde, I would have to leave Silas somewhere safe. I couldn't take him with me, because I didn't want to endanger him more than I already was. I didn't need any distractions when I faced Alduin.

I hated to think about it, but when the trap at Dragonsreach was ready, I would have to leave Silas behind. When I spoke to Jarl Balgruuf about readying the trap for Odahviing, he had looked at me like I was crazy, but he had agreed nonetheless. I didn't want to drag more people than necessary into a room housing a caged dragon. Silas would have to stay somewhere else.

I hesitantly made plans to head to Dragonbridge when we were finished here in Markarth. I was expecting a courier to find me sometime soon and tell me that the trap was ready, but until then I was going to visit the places that I loved. _I might not get to visit them again,_ I thought.

I remembered my dream, and wondered why it had suddenly changed. I wished that Silas hadn't woken me so that maybe I could figure out why the ancient dragon was attacking Alduin. Were the other dragons rebelling? Or was it just my subconscious trying to lull me into thinking I wasn't alone in the fight against Alduin?

As I put the finishing touches on the sword, I tried to remember the last time I had visited Dawnstar. It felt like years, but I knew it had only been a few months. It was a frigid, windy place, but watching the sun rise over the harbor on a clear morning was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen_. I might never get to see that again. _

When I was finally done, I lifted the sword, eyeing it in the sunlight, searching for any imperfections. The blade was dull, but I didn't think Calcelmo was going to try to kill anything with it, so it didn't need to be sharp.

"A fine piece," I heard Ghorza say from across the shop. I looked to Silas, who was leaning against one of the wooden poles holding up the roof. I think I may have drooled a bit. His eyes were closed, long lashes casting crescent shaped shadows on his cheekbones. His dark hair fell back, exposing a silvery scar that started halfway down the side of his neck and disappeared beneath his shirt. I made a mental note to ask him about it later, but I doubted I would remember.

I thanked Ghorza for letting me use her forge, and tapped Silas on the shoulder to wake him. His moss colored eyes snapped open, and I smiled up at him. I led the way to Understone Keep, walking slowly so that Silas could observe all there was to see.

As we entered the Keep, a strong smell hit my nostrils. Ancient earth and mold were the predominant scents. I took the path to the left, and found Calcelmo working on something at his station.

"Calcelmo. I brought the greatsword you asked for," I said. Calcelmo continued working, as if he hadn't heard. I threw an exasperated look at Silas, rolling my eyes, and tried again. "Calcelmo," I said, louder this time.

When he still didn't look up, I contemplated using the first Word of Unrelenting Force to get his attention. Instead I walked over to him and punched his shoulder. He jumped in surprise, then looked at me like I was a creature he had never seen before.

"Can I help you?" he asked. I hefted the greatsword so that he could see it, and he gasped. "You've brought it!" he said excitedly, snatching it from my hands. He mumbled to himself about how it "looked like new" and was a "spectacular find".

He turned back to me after setting the sword gently on a table. "Ah, yes. You're reward. I trust 200 septims will just about cover it."

"It's worth twice as much, and you know it," I barked back. He stood, seeming to consider, before he nodded.

"Is 300 septims a fair price?" I nodded, and he handed over a large coin purse. I smiled at the weight, tossing it up one handed and catching it again.

"Nice doing business with you," I said, turning to leave. Calcelmo mumbled a response, but was too quiet for me to make out what he said. As we stepped out into the fading daylight, I felt satisfied with the day's accomplishments. The sword had taken me longer to forge than expected, but was well worth the effort.

I looked up at Silas as he stood next to me, gazing out over the city. At that moment, I was content. Ever since the Greybeards had summoned me, my life had been so busy that I never had time to just stop and admire the beauty that was right in front of my eyes.

"Is there a problem?" Silas asked, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I blushed, realizing that I had been staring.

"No, there's no problem, I was just… uh…" I coughed. Silas laughed.

"You're one of the strangest people I've ever met," he said. The statement hung on the moist air. I wondered if it was a compliment or an insult. And then he looked at me, and he smiled that slight, barely there smile, and I knew it was a compliment.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Me no own.

A/N: Okie! So. Two chapters in one day. That's good, eh? This one is kind of sad, but you learn more about Silas' past. ;) As always, drop me a review if you please. Enjoy.

Chapter 7

"Do you ever have strange dreams?" I asked Silas quietly as we sat around the table, nibbling at what was left of our dinner. Silas hadn't eaten very much, and I was beginning to wonder when he was going keel over and die of starvation. This was the first time I had seen him eat anything, and it was like the food made him sick. He fidgeted while I shoved food into my mouth until my plate was clean. _You never know when you'll be able to eat again,_ I thought.

"I used to have strange dreams, but lately I find myself waking from a dream and not remembering what it was about." I thought on that for a moment, wondering if there was a way to make myself forget my dreams. "It's quite frustrating."

"Why is that? I would be happy if I forgot my dreams," I said, taking a sip of mead from my tankard. The strong liquid burned a path from my tongue to my stomach.

"The only thing I remember of them is being high up, looking at the world from above. Almost like I was…. flying." I studied his face, watching his brows furrow as he thought. "That's all I remember about them. I wish I could recall more, because I think that my dreams are good ones."

I envied him. The only dreams I had were horrible, frightening things that made me want to cower in a hole and never sleep again. With the exception of last night's strange dream, I always met death in the most terrible of ways. Drowning, falling, bleeding to death, being burned…. I longed for pleasant dreams.

We sat in silence for a few moments, pondering our nighttime forays into our subconscious minds. Eventually I stood from the table, stretching my back, legs, and arms before releasing a huge yawn. Deciding to turn in for the night, I walked to the bedroom. And then I remembered.

"Shit!" I hissed, smacking my palm against my forehead. Two people, one bed. _What the hell am I supposed to do? _I questioned myself. I felt Silas' presence behind me and turned to face him.

"So, uh…. What should we do?" I asked him. He thought for a moment, and then looked down at me, a hint of laughter in his expressive eyes.

"We could always share it," he suggested. My mouth fell open. "Unless you don't trust me," he added.

"I… uh… heh…ah…," I stammered. "I guess…that could work." And so we got ready for bed, extinguishing the torches mounted on the walls, leaving two candles lit on my side of the bed. Silas lowered himself gently onto the right side of the bed, and I slid beneath the covers on the other side.

We lay in the semi darkness, listening to each other breathe. I was blushing furiously. I had never lain in the same bed with a man before. I was hesitant to move lest I disturb him. I snuck a glance at his face, and the silvery scar on the right side of his neck caught my attention again.

Up close, I noticed how soft his skin looked, marred only by the roping scar. I reached out hesitantly, intent on brushing it lightly with my finger, just to see if his scar would feel the same as mine did. As soon as my finger touched the uneven line, the muscles in Silas' neck tensed, and I found that my wrist was trapped in his gentle yet firm grip.

"Sorry, I was curious," I said, worried that I had upset him. His green eyes glinted in the flickering candlelight, but I saw no anger in them like I expected. Instead, I saw pain long hidden, repressed fears, and a bit of embarrassment.

He released my wrist, replaced his arm at his side, and closed his eyes. I wondered if I had just ruined our young friendship.

"My uncle," he whispered into the gloom, "did not approve of my father's marriage. He had lived in Windhelm all his life, and saw all elves as inferior and disgusting. My father invited him to visit against my mother's wishes, and when my uncle arrived a month later, she left. I never saw her again."

I watched him as he sat up and lifted the black shirt off over his head. I could only see his well-muscled, smooth back as he stared at the wall.

"My uncle saw me as vermin; a creature not worthy of life. One night while I was sleeping, my uncle crept into my room and tried to slit my throat. My father had heard him moving around, and tore him off of me before he could finish his task."

Silas stood from the bed and turned towards me. My hand flew to my mouth as I gasped in horror. The scar started halfway between his jaw and collarbone on the left side of his neck, angled down towards his sternum, and then made its way in a jagged line down between his pecks and ended just above his navel.

"My father killed his own brother to save me. After that we left the city, and we spent our days wandering the wilds around Whiterun, sleeping in caves or camped beside rivers. A few years later, a saber cat killed my father. I've been on my own ever since."

"How old were you?" I asked quietly.

"I was eleven when he tried to kill me. Sixteen when my father died." I felt a hot tear slide down my cheek. This man standing before me had been through something horrible just because he was half Bosmer. It made me sick.

I stood on my knees, wobbling slightly on the bed, and made my way over to him. He stood like a stone, unmoving and hard, staring at the floor. I slipped my arms around his middle and pressed my face into his chest, trying to give what little comfort I could. I held him for what seemed like hours before he slowly lifted his arms, placing them gently against my back.

I felt so small, cocooned in the strength of his arms. As tears streamed down my face, he brought a hand up and softly stroked my hair.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all in the past," he softly replied. I nodded. I wished that I could have been there for him. _I could have done something,_ I thought. _Anything._

His arms fell from my back, and he gently pushed me away. I watched him as he quietly picked his shirt up from where he had fallen on the floor. I stared at his scar for a moment before it disappeared beneath the black shirt.

I returned to my side of the bed, deeply regretting my curious nature. As I felt him settle into the bed next to me, I blew out the remaining candles and let the blackness consume me.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

A/N: I'm glad everyone's liking this so far. I can't wait till Freya and Silas get to Dragon Bridge. ;) Anyway, please review. I love you all. Enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 8

As always, the mists of Sovngarde surrounded me as I ran. The earth shook as the two goliaths battled for supremacy. Alduin and the ancient dragon attacked each other with a ferocity I had never seen before. Teeth flashed as they ripped at flesh, and claws grated on scales. Thrashing wings kept the mists at bay.

I skidded to a stop at the edge of the mists, watching the dueling dragons. Alduin roared and tore a gash in the ancient dragon's wing, eliciting an anguished cry from the injured dragon. I caught a glimpse of its eyes as it snaked its head towards Alduin's exposed throat. They reminded me of someone I knew…

I woke with a start, and whipped my head to stare at Silas. _It couldn't be…_ I shook my head vigorously, trying to rid my mind of the images from my dream. Silas shifted in his sleep. I stared at him, thinking that he couldn't possibly be the ancient dragon from my dream.

I slipped from the bed, deciding to find something to eat since I was already up. Argis was sitting at the table, eating a chunk of bread. I grabbed a piece of bread and a cup of water, choosing to eat outside. Stepping through the doorway, I was greeted by the rays of sunlight peeking above the city's walls.

The sky, dusted with a few wispy clouds, was colored with many shades of pink, orange, and yellow. I munched on my bread, watching the colors fade to a light blue. The door opened behind me, and Silas stepped up next to me.

"Morning," I greeted, taking a gulp of water. The bread made my mouth dry, and it was starting to stick to the roof of my mouth.

"Morning," he replied. "What are our plans for today?"

"I was thinking of heading to Dragon Bridge," I stated. "Have you ever been there before?"

"No. My father kept me well away from towns and cities. I've only been to Riverwood, Whiterun, and now Markarth." I nodded.

"Dragon Bridge it is." We returned inside to get ready to leave. I donned my armor and gathered a few things from the chest at the end of the bed. I reluctantly pulled out a coin purse I had been saving for a while. It had well over 1,000 septims in it, and I was determined to buy a horse.

I stuffed a pack with cured meat, several bottles of mead, and other various things needed for the trip. I strapped two bedrolls to the sides of the pack, and slung the pack over my shoulder. I left Dawnbreaker, choosing instead a Daedric sword I had looted off a dead Dremora.

I went to my stash of arrows, and grabbed thirty Ebony and eighteen Elven, knowing I would need them eventually. With my weapons strapped at my sides, I plucked my Ebony bow up from where I had left it leaning against a wall and left Vlindrel Hall. Once outside the gates, I turned to look at the city for possibly the last time. I tried not to think about it too hard.

I approached the stable master, inquiring of a horse for sale. He said he had one all saddled up and ready to go. I handed over my pouch full of septims, and he handed me the reins of a piebald poop machine. I looped the straps of my pack around the horn of the saddle and was leading the horse along the path when I noticed Silas staring.

"What?" I asked.

"You paid 1000 septims for a horse so that it could carry your pack." He looked at me like I was stupid. "You could have just asked me."

"Yeah, well, it gave me an excuse to buy a horse," I snapped rubbing the horse's nose. "What should we call you, huh girl?"

The horse snorted and stretched its neck down to nibble the grass on the side of the road. I stood for a moment, thinking of a good name.

"How about Jala?" I asked. The horse lifted its muzzle from the grass and fixed one eye on me. I took it as a yes, and resumed walking.

We followed the river for most of the day, Jala ambling amiably at my side. Silas was quiet, and I wondered if he was remembering his childhood. I felt horrible for bringing it up last night, but I'd been curious about how he'd gotten that scar.

I was about to call for a lunch break when Jala shied to the left, shoving me into the river. I panicked, scrambling to get my feet underneath me, and heard Silas shout something at me. I couldn't seem to find the bottom, and my head slipped under the surface.

I fought desperately to reach the surface, but I didn't know which way was up. I couldn't see anything but bubbles. I wanted to scream, but knew it was a bad idea to waste what little breath I had left. Everything was dark and gloomy. My heavy armor caused me to sink more. I gave up struggling to get to the surface, and just hung there in the water, sinking slowly.

I had just about given up all hope when I heard a splash and felt strong arms around my midsection. My head broke the surface of the water, and I gasped for air, trying to fill my lungs. I vaguely felt solid earth under my back. The sun was bright, blinding me yet again.

A face blocked out the brightness. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus. I couldn't breathe. My armor was ripped off over my head. I felt something on my chest. It pushed hard into my ribcage, and water came gurgling up my windpipe and out of my mouth. I lay sputtering for a moment, shaking in fear.

Silas picked me up and carried me away from the river. My arms snaked around his neck and I buried my face in his chest. A few seconds that felt like hours passed, and I was again on the ground. Silas sat down behind me, wrapping his arms around me and rubbing my back. I shivered from the cold and fear.

After a few minutes, I leaned into his body, reveling in the warmth and strength. He ceased moving and leaned back against the trunk of a nearby tree, holding me to him like I was going to evaporate. A few minutes of silence later, he spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me you can't swim?" His quiet question pierced through me like a knife. _Because the Dragonborn should be infallible... Because my stupid pride won't let me admit it…. Because I'm weak._

I chose not to answer, instead burrowing deeper into the blanket and snuggling closer to him. At the moment, I felt safe. Like even Alduin couldn't touch me. My heart wasn't racing anymore, though my throat burned like dragon's fire.

"Thank you," I whispered. We sat there beneath the small tree and watched the shadows grow long. Then, to my great embarrassment, my stomach growled like an angry cave bear. I lifted my head from the crook of Silas' neck and smiled sheepishly up at him.

I stood and searched for Jala. I found her standing by a bush a few feet away, and rummaged through the pack for some food. After tying her reins to the bush, I returned to the tree and sat down in front of Silas and offered him a piece of cured venison. We ate in silence, looking anywhere but at each other.

"Could you teach me?" I asked after a while. "To swim, I mean."

Silas looked up at me, his dark hair falling into his face. "Sure," he said eventually.

"We can follow this river to Dragon Bridge, and you can teach me along the way," I suggested. He nodded. I gathered my armor and carried it away from the water's edge. I returned to Jala and took the bedrolls off of the pack.

I brought one to Silas, and laid mine out on the ground. Silas spread his out next to mine, and then wandered off. I turned to watch the sunset, my thoughts turning inevitably to Silas. I wondered if every woman felt as safe in their man's arms as I did in Silas'


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim.

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They make me very happy. :) Enjoy this chapter. Please drop a review when you're finished reading. :D

Chapter 9

A few minutes later, Silas returned with an armful of sticks for a fire. I watched him as he moved. For his height, he was very graceful. When the pile of sticks was arranged to his liking, he summoned flames to his palm and lit the sticks. I watched the fire lick at the wood for a moment before commenting on his use of Destruction magic.

"My mother taught me," he explained. "She mainly worked with Restoration magic. She refused to use conjuration and alteration, saying that it was too much trouble. She taught me everything I know."

"Could you teach me some Restoration magic? It probably comes in handy in a fight." He left the fire and sat down on his bedroll. He pulled a knife from his boot, and before I could stop him, he drew the knife across his left forearm.

"What the hell are you doing?" I squeaked. I tried to get up to get some bandages, but he pulled me back down.

"You have to have something to heal," he answered simply. I watched the blood pour from the gash. "Listen to me. Freya."

I tore my eyes from his wounds and looked into his eyes. The amusement was back, and it made me want to punch him.

"What do I do?"

"Close your eyes," he said. I did as commanded. "Now. Dig deep inside, and find your healing magic. It should feel warm and comforting. Don't try to tell me that you don't have any, because everyone does."

I felt around inside, trying to find my magic. It took me a while, but once I found it, or what I thought to be it, I opened my eyes. Silas was staring at me.

"Hold on to it, and put your hands over the wound." I did as he said, my hands hovering just above his skin. "Direct the magic through your body and into your hands, and let it escape to the cut."

My brows furrowed as I concentrated, willing the magic into my hands. They began to glow, and I willed the magic further. Silas' arm began to glow as well, and after a few seconds, he told me to stop.

I released the magic, feeling exhausted but warm, and leaned down to inspect the wound. In the light of the fire, I could see Silas' unblemished skin. Pride welled up inside me, and a huge grin split my face.

"I did it!" I exclaimed.

"Yes you did. Restoration magic is the most easy to control if it's the first magic you use. But once you start using the other schools, it gets harder and harder to find the healing magic." He returned the dagger to his boot after wiping it clean on the grass.

The warm feeling was starting to fade, and I started to shiver in the cold night air. My clothes were still a bit damp, so I laid down in my bedroll, burrowing deep into the blankets.

"I'll take the first watch," Silas announced.

"Okay. Wake me up in a few hours," I yawned. With that, I fell into a deep slumber.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

It was hot. Unbearably so. Sweat plastered my clothes to my back. I opened my eyes, but could see nothing but the dying embers of the fire. Something close behind me moved and I jumped in surprise. My bedroll was constricting, like it was stuffed full. I turned as quickly as I could I the confined space, only to see Silas' sleeping face.

"Silas," I said, shaking his shoulder gently. He stirred, opened one pale green eye, and peeked out at me from between strands of his ebony hair. "What are you doing in here? You were supposed to wake me up for my shift."

"You were rolling around in your bedroll like a pig rolls in mud. And you were shivering. I didn't want you to catch cold." He yawned, reminding me of a saber cat waking from a mid day nap.

"That was very nice of you. But don't you think this is a bit awkward?" I asked. He sighed, rubbing his face with one hand.

"You were calling me," he said after a few seconds went by. "I think you were having a nightmare."

_That's weird,_ I thought. _I don't remember dreaming at all._ I was confused. Even if I'd had a nightmare, why would I call out for Silas?

"I don't remember having a nightmare," I stated. And then I seemed to remember that I was wrapped up in a bedroll with an extremely attractive, albeit sleepy man. So naturally, I blushed.

"Are you feeling okay?" Silas asked, putting his hand to my forehead. "You're kind of warm."

"I would feel _much_ better if you would remove yourself from my bedroll. Please and thank you." I wasn't trying to be mean, but my heart was fluttering and my stomach felt strange. I was disappointed when Silas squirmed his way out of my bedroll, but after a sharp reprimand from my sensible side, I knew it was for the better.

As Silas got comfortable in his own bedroll, I sat up, shook the last bit of sleep from my body, and prepared to take my watch. I sat at the trunk of a tree that sat just close enough to the fire's dying embers that I felt their warmth, but not by the light. My Daedric sword lay across my lap, ready for use.

I sat, unmoving, and waited for dawn. My thought flitted between my supposed nightmare and waking up-_for the second time_-beside a sleeping Silas. Just thinking about him made my stomach flop in a funny kind of way. _What is WRONG with me?_ I'd never been so self-conscious around any of my other followers. _What's so different about him?_

I thought until my head ached, and then I thought some more. Eventually, the sun rose over the mountains that bordered Skyrim, tearing me from my thoughts. I stood and inhaled the clean, sweet-smelling air, stretching my palms towards the sky. My back and legs gave several satisfying pops, and I shook my hands, ridding them of any leftover stiffness.

I rolled up my bedroll and attached it to the pack on Jala's saddle. My stomach growled, and I decided to do some hunting before Silas woke. I grabbed my ebony bow and a few Elven arrows, strapped my sword to my hip, and took off.

An hour and a half later, I headed back to camp. Silas was awake, packing his bedroll. I threw some wood onto the ashes of last night's fire, hoping that the branches would catch. But after several minutes, it didn't look like it was going to spring back into existence.

"Leave it," Silas said from somewhere behind me. "Go skin your rabbit."

I huffed a bit, but left the fire to skin the small rabbit I had shot. I was proud of myself-I always was after making a kill-but wasn't too excited about skinning the small animal. Begrudgingly, I got to work. Half an hour later, I was up to my elbows in blood and gore, but the meat was skinned and ready to be cooked.

"Thanks for the fire," I mumbled around a mouthful of rabbit meat. It was bland, but it was filling. Silas, as always, merely picked at his meal, eating tidbits. I felt like a slob compared to him.

"Don't mention it," he said quietly.

"Why don't you eat?" I asked after a few silent minutes passed by.

"I'm not particularly fond of meat," he stated dryly.

"Well, what are you fond of?" I asked. He thought for a moment.

"Vegetables." He said it with such a serious finality that I couldn't help it but laugh.

"Just what do you find so amusing?" He sounded angry, which made me giggle until I couldn't breathe.

"You," I said, gasping for air.

"What about me?" He asked.

"Just about everything," I stated simply, smiling from ear to ear.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Skyrim.

A/N: Okay. So. Here's another one. Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers. You guys are awesome. Also, there is a quote from a movie in this chapter. Virtual cake to anyone who can tell me what the quote is and what movie it's from. ;) Enjoy.

Chapter 10

We stopped for a break at noon. I was sweating, and regretted choosing to wear heavy armor. Stray hairs that had fallen loose from my braid were plastered to my face by the sweat pouring out of my body.

I plopped down under the shade of a large tree and shimmied out of my armor. There was a slight, cooling breeze stirring the leaves. I watched dartwings flit around over the river, the smooth surface broken occasionally by a fish trying to catch its lunch. Silas shrugged out of his armor, and then to my great surprise, pulled his shirt off over his head.

"W-what are you doing?" I stammered. He fixed one green eye on me, the corner of his mouth lifting in a small smile.

"You asked me to teach you how to swim. What better time is there than now?" I barely heard what he said. Halfway through his statement, he had turned to face me, and my eyes were glued to his torso. His muscles flexed, the scar a bright pink against his pale skin. I swallowed before I could drool all over myself.

"Uhhhh… mmm.. sure," I mumbled a reply. He offered a hand, and I grabbed it. He pulled me to my feet, and then stepped towards the river. Still holding my hand.

I was full of conflicting emotions. He was holding my hand, but leading me to certain death. He wouldn't let me drown, but I was going into water. _Willingly. _I tried to convince myself it was going to be okay, but my instincts told me to flee.

I heard my name being called. I snapped from my thoughts; looked up at Silas; saw him standing calf-deep in the water. I looked down at my feet. The tips of my boots were just beyond the water's reach. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The water engulfed my foot. I exhaled a shaky breath, and took another step forward. Silas stepped backward, staying in front of me, still holding my hand. I stepped forward again, and again. The water was up to my knees, and something was on my face.

"Freya." I jerked my gaze from the water to Silas' face, forcing myself to keep my eyes locked on his. His thumb glided across my cheekbone. I realized the thing on my face was his hand. "It's okay," he said softly. I nodded.

He stepped backward again, pulling me forward with his hands. The water reached mid-thigh now, and my skin prickled with goose bumps at its chilliness. I was just starting to calm down when something bumped my leg. I screamed, throwing myself into Silas' arms and scrambling to get out of the water.

"Freya, calm down. It was just a fish." I was clinging to Silas' back, my arms around his neck and my legs clamped around his narrow hips. "You can get down now."

"I…I c-can't," I stammered. I felt his shoulder move up in a shrug, and then he stepped backwards again. I whimpered and gripped him tighter. He kept moving backwards until the water was just above his nipples. My eyes were clamped shut, nails digging into his plaint flesh.

Silas pulled gently at my arms, and they slowly loosened from around his neck. I felt his chest expand with in-flowing oxygen, and realized that I had probably been choking him.

"Let go," he commanded. I relaxed my legs, and I slowly slid down until I was standing. The water reached up to my throat, making me feel claustrophobic. And yet, at the same time, I felt relaxed. Weightless. I looked up at Silas, and he grinned down at me, a triumphant look in his eyes.

"That was easier than I thought," he said, barely controlling his laughter. My eyes narrowed.

"Can you just teach me to swim already?" I snarled.

"Not yet. You're still a little panicky. I want you to be used to the water before you try to swim."

"Okay, so what now?" I asked.

"Now," he replied, "we relax." With that, his head slipped beneath the water's surface. I stood there, chest deep in the thing that scared me most in life, and waited for him to surface again. When he came up several feet away, I tentatively took a step in his direction.

He stood patiently, waiting for me to reach him. Water beaded on his smooth skin, glistening in the sunlight. His dark hair was slicked back out of his face, dripping down his back. When I finally got there, he smiled and patted my head.

"That'll do, pig." I followed him out of the water, feeling safer each step I took towards the riverbank. When I was finally on dry, firm ground, I threw myself to the grass. I lay there on my back, watching the clouds drift by above, Silas sitting next to me. Eventually, he adopted my position, and we waited for the sun to dry us.

"Freya?" Silas' soft voice broke the silence.

"Yeah?"

"What does love feel like?" The question was so unexpected that I gasped, which caused me to choke on some saliva I had previously been trying to swallow. I coughed for a few seconds before responding.

"I don't know, Silas," I thought for a moment. "I suppose it would feel good. Why do you ask?"

I turned my head to look at him. His brows were furrowed slightly, a look of confusion splayed across his face. I couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking about me. _Don't kid yourself, _a voice inside my head whispered. _No one will ever love you._

"Lately I've been feeling strange," Silas said. "I think I may be sick."

"What's do you mean?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

"My stomach feels like it's twisting itself into knots, and my heart… it hurts."

I propped myself up on one elbow, angling myself towards him. He glanced over at me, a sad look in his eyes. "Your heart hurts?" He nodded. "That doesn't sound good. Should we go to a healer?" I asked.

"No," he shook his head. "I'm sure it's nothing. We should probably get going."

He stood and put his shirt and leather armor back on. I followed suit, a little baffled at his behavior. I pulled some dried meat from the pack on Jala's back and munched on it as we walked.

Normally, I could make the trek from Markarth to Dragon Bridge in about two and a half days. I expected that with our swimming breaks, we would make it in five or six days. I was surprised that a courier hadn't found me and told me that the trap at Dragonsreach was ready.

I wasn't prepared to call a dragon. All of my encounters with dragons had been random; I encountered a dragon at a Word Wall, or stumbled upon one in the wilderness. Occasionally they attacked towns and cities, and the guards would help in slaying it. This time, I would have to call the dragon to me and lure it into a trap, keep it from snapping me up for a snack when my back was turned, and dodge whatever flames it sent my way.

In all honesty, I was scared shitless. But I knew that I had someone to stand by me, and help when it was needed. Silas would be my rock in that hard time, and I knew I could count on him. Even though I had only known him for a few days, I felt like I'd known him all my life. He had quickly become a trusted friend. And even though I wished we could be more than friends, I knew it couldn't happen.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. My cat got attacked by the neighbor's dog and after the vet told us she'd be okay she died over night. So I haven't really felt like writing much. I'm gonna try to get another chapter out either today or tomorrow because Friday I'm leaving for a family reunion and then Monday is the first day of Band Camp. I'm probably going to be to exhausted to write anything that whole week. Forgive me. I'll get more chapters out asap. :) Enjoy Chapter 11, and please drop a review!

Chapter 11

We traveled until dusk, following the river's twists and turns. Silas had been silent, almost worryingly so. _ I guess he feels awkward about asking that question,_ I thought. We set up camp, ate a bit of the provisions from my pack, and lay down to sleep.

Hard as I tried, I couldn't get my thoughts to slow down enough to fall asleep. My mind buzzed with worries, questions, and fears that circled around my upcoming task. I couldn't even stop to ponder the meaning of Silas' earlier inquiry. It made me want to lop my own head off.

I tried to distract myself by finding shapes in the stars, but even then Alduin haunted me. All I could see was his gaping maw, thrashing tail, and sharp talons. I sighed, turning onto my side. Silas lay on his stomach, breathing deep and even, sleep having already claimed him.

His eyelashes cast long shadows on his cheeks which flickered in the light of the fire. I wondered if he was dreaming, and if he was, was it a good dream? I hoped so. After all he had been through, he deserved to have good dreams.

I rolled over again, restless. I felt like I needed to be training. I was frightened by the concept of fighting a dragon that had been alive for Gods only know how long. Alduin had probably fought people far more powerful than me and still lived.

I tried not to think about the fact that if I failed, the world would end. All of Nirn would fall to Alduin's might if I could not defeat him. Everyone was depending on me to slay the World-Eater. _But what if I can't?_ I thought hopelessly. _What if I'm not strong enough?_

I lay thinking until the sky brightened with dawn's first rays of sunlight. Silas stirred in his bedroll, stretching himself and yawning quietly. He stood, stretched some more, and then staggered sleepily into the woods.

I sighed, and then followed suit. I took the last strip of cured meat from the pack on Jala's back, and munched on it as I led her to the river to drink. The warm sun shone in my face, giving me a slight feeling of hope. It didn't last very long.

A gloved hand clamped over my mouth, and a strong arm slipped around my stomach. I was hauled backwards into the bushes. I tried to make a grab for my sword, but remembered that it was stashed by a tree. Along with my armor.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ I racked my brains, trying to figure out a way to get free. I tugged and clawed at the hand over my mouth, but the arm around my waist tightened, squeezing the air from my diaphragm. I was just about to throw my elbow back into my attacker's face when I heard the twang of a bowstring.

The hands released me, followed by the dull thump of a body hitting the ground. And then Silas was there. His hands were on my face, willing me into action while simultaneously checking for wounds.

"Freya. We're surrounded. We need to make a run for it," he said quietly. I shoved him away and made for my sword. "Freya, there are too many. Freya!"

It was too late. Fueled by blind rage, I didn't stop to put my armor on. I took up my Daedric sword, and approached the nearest bandit. His back was to me as he searched through my pack. For a split second, I feared for Jala's fate, but my anger overpowered any worry.

I brought my sword down upon the bandit's back, driving its point hard enough that it burst forth from his stomach. He screamed horribly as I wrenched my sword free, flinging crimson droplets in an arc through the air.

Another bandit heard the screams and charged at me, a battle cry grating on my sensitive ears. I ducked beneath her raised blade, dragging the blade of my sword along her side. She cried out in agony and gripped her side, blood spilling between her fingers.

I knew she was finished even before her sword fell from her grasp. I left her writhing on the ground, certain that she would be dead within the minute. I caught a glimpse of Silas' lithe form from the corner of my eye.

He was a sight to behold. Bow drawn, a look of intent concentration on his face, he was deadly and beautiful. He had two bandits engaged, firing arrows in such a rapid succession that I could not keep count of the arrows he had fired.

I turned my attention back to the fight just as a Nord bandit was swinging his steel battleaxe at my head. I lifted my blade just in time, catching the battleaxe just before it split my skull. The force behind the strike drove me backward a step, but I turned my sword and watched as the battleaxe slid off to my left.

I glanced up at the bandit, saw the look of astonishment turn to one of fear, and then brought my sword across his throat. Blood sprayed from his severed artery, splashing onto the front of my shirt. I turned away as the Nord fell to his knees, clutching his ruined neck.

I made my way over to Silas, who was dodging blows from one bandit while shooting arrows at another that was farther away. I slashed violently at the bandit closest to him, bringing my blade down savagely upon his arm. The arm dropped to the ground, still grasping the Elven sword.

Silas turned to face me, having dealt with his opponent. His eyes went wide at the sight of all the blood covering me. He looked to my face, and then off over my shoulder. His face went blank, and then he was shoving me aside. I lost my balance and fell to the grass.

Two arrows zoomed over my head, through the space I had recently vacated, and collided with Silas' shoulder and hip. I screamed. I don't know if it was from fear, or worry, or anger, but I was screaming my head off.

I jumped to my feet, found the two bandits trying to reload their bows, and slaughtered them where they stood. And then I turned around, almost afraid of what I'd see.

Silas was on his knees, head down, studying his blood-covered hands which he held out before him. The two arrows stuck out of his left shoulder and his right hip, the shafts buried deep within his body. I rushed back to his side.

Just as I reached him, he fell backwards. I caught his, supporting his weight in my arms and lowering him gently to the ground. I propped his head up on my legs and smoothed the unruly black hair from his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked me in a raspy voice. I laughed at the irony. Something wet fell from my face and landed in his hair. I sniffed and rubbed my eyes, surprised to find that I was crying. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried, and yet here I was, bent over an injured Silas, crying my eyes out.

"I'm fine," I reassured him. "We need to get you to Dragon Bridge. Someone there can heal you." He blinked slowly, and then nodded his agreement. I placed his head on the ground, trying to cause him the least amount of pain, and then looked for Jala.

She stood several hundred feet away, quivering amongst the bushes at the river's edge. I dragged her back to where Silas lay and tied her reins to a low hanging tree branch. I returned to Silas' side, surveying the damage the arrows had caused.

From what I could see, nothing vital had been pierced, but he was losing a massive amount of blood. As carefully as possible, I pulled the arrows from his body and tied strips of cloth around the wounds as best I could. My fingers shook like the ground did when a dragon landed, and I had to retie the knots a few times to make sure they were tight enough.

The amount of blood he was losing terrified me, but I told myself he would make it. Dragon Bridge was only a few hours ride away. Jala would have to carry us both as quickly as possible. The only problem was getting Silas onto her back.

After gathering our things, I helped him to his feet and supported most of his weight as we made our way to Jala's side. It took a few minutes of pain-filled groans, but soon he was up on her back. I untied Jala and threw the reins over her head before swinging myself up into the saddle in front of Silas.

I turned Jala and guided her alongside the riverbank. Before long the ground became less rocky, and Jala trotted down the dirt path towards Dragon Bridge. I felt Silas' arms slide around my waist, his fingers knotting in my shirt.

I pushed Jala into a canter, asking for as much speed as she could give me. As her pace quickened, Silas rested his head on my shoulder, his body slumped against me.

"Stay awake, Silas." I ordered. "If you fall off I won't be able to get you back up here." I felt his arms tighten around my waist, felt his breath warm on my ear. Jala cantered across a bridge, and I knew we were getting close.

Just as the ancient, black bridge that the town was named after came into sight, I felt Silas' arms go slack and fall from my waist. I pulled back on the reins, slowing Jala to a walk, and tried to hold onto Silas. I could see people moving about in the town, and called for help.

When Jala stepped off the bridge, there were a few men and women gathered. Silas slipped from the saddle, and two of the men caught him. I jumped from Jala's back, patted her neck in thanks, and followed the men as they carried Silas to the Four Sheilds Inn.

They brought him to one of the rooms and laid him on the bed. A few women came in and bustled about, bumping into me as they went. I stood in the middle of the room, still as stone, staring at an unconscious Silas. His chest rose and fell with each breath, giving me hope that he might live through this.

"Excuse me, but you need to leave," one of the women said. I was too shocked to move. When I didn't respond, the woman grabbed me and pushed me forcefully from the room. Having shoved me out, she huffed and then slammed the door in my face.

I was vaguely aware of someone guiding me towards a table and sitting me on a bench. A plate of steaming food was set in front of me, but I merely stared. I was too worried about Silas to think of anything else.

_He'll be alright, _I told myself. _He has to be._ I repeated those two sentences to myself for hours, sitting in the darkness of the inn.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I had a week of band camp, and then I got a car and had to learn how to drive it (manual cars are hard!) and I've been taking care of some kittens on top of all that. So I've been really busy. And I'm really sorry. I hope this makes up for the long break. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

In the darkness of midnight, the inn was quiet as the grave. The patrons were sleeping, the fire left unattended. I was alone with my guilt, knowing that it was my fault Silas was injured and possibly dying. I cursed myself for not listening to my more reasonable side when it told me to be done with companions.

I had gone with my instincts, and against my better judgment asked Silas to join me in my travels. _Haven't you caused enough death? _A taunting voice whispered. _Why must you drag others to their doom?_

"Shut up," I whispered to myself. The voice continued its nagging, and I struggled to ignore it. I heard a door open, and several pairs of feet padding quietly across the floor. When a hand was placed gently on my back, I turned to face the woman who had kicked me out of the room earlier.

"Your friend is going to live." Her voice was so soft I almost didn't hear what she said. When it registered in my brain, I jumped to my feet and made for the room Silas was in. A quiet warning drifted to my ears before I could open the door. "He lost a lot of blood. He is very weak, and needs his rest."

I paused, hand on the smooth wood of the door, and nodded. Footsteps faded, and I was left alone in the darkness. I debated about whether or not I should go in and check on Silas, or pack up and ride away. He would be safer if I left, but my heart jumped painfully at the thought. _I need to stay with him and see that he gets better._

I opened the door as quietly as possible and slipped inside. A single candle battled the darkness, casting flickering shadows onto the walls. I could barely make out Silas' form in the gloom. He lay on his back, breathing steadily. Bandages wrapped around his shoulder and stomach, nearly the same color as his pale skin. His face was obscured by strands of midnight silk.

I stepped towards the bed, pulling a chair with me. Having positioned myself as comfortably as possible, I started clearing the hair from his face. I wondered if he felt any pain, and if he did, how bad was it? Maybe he was dreaming, and felt nothing at all.

My eyelids began to droop, but I fought off the desire to curl up and sleep. I struggled to keep my eyes open, telling myself that I had to be awake in case Silas needed me. I folded my arms before me on the bed and rested my head on them. _I'll rest my eyes for a moment,_ I told myself. Seconds later, I was fast asleep.

I was floating through black nothingness, set adrift in an empty sea. Alone, cold, and blind, I realized that I was dying. I could feel my heart slow, all the life fleeing from my body, and my thoughts turned to Freya. I hoped she was somewhere safe, alive and well.

It became hard to think, a black blanket being lowered slowly over my consciousness. I felt nothing except the cold seeping into my very bones. I willed my heart to keep beating, if only for a few seconds, and images of my time with Freya spun through my head. The way she ate as if she was starving, the way she curled herself into a tight ball as she slept, the feeling of her hot tears against my bare chest…

I found myself begging for life. Praying to Gods I didn't believe in, asking for a second chance. As the pain set in, and the last of the warmth was sapped from my body, it seemed that my prayers would go unanswered. I struggled weakly against the darkness, but knew it was futile. And then everything changed.

Instead of dark, there was light. The cold was washed from my limbs by a soft light, and was replaced with warmth. And I was no longer alone in my struggle. A soft hand cradled my cheek, strength spreading from the fingertips.

"_Do not fear, my son," _a soft voice spoke. I opened my eyes, but saw only bright white light all around me.

"Who are you?" I asked. I could see no one, but felt the presence of a woman. The hand left my face, resting instead on my left shoulder. The dull throb subsided, replaced with soothing heat.

"_You asked for assistance, and I am here to give it. But I do not give aid without getting something in return. You will live, Silas, but you must do something for me."_

"What do you wish of me?" I asked. I was skeptical about offering my services to one of the Daedric Princes, but if it meant I would get to see Freya again, I would do anything she asked of me.

"_You are more special than you know. Soon, you will be tested. You must not fail this test. If you do, Freya will not go to Sovngarde to defeat Alduin. Her feelings for you will keep her here. You _must_ not allow that. Even if it means your death. Do you understand?"_

"If I do this, and Freya goes to Sovngarde, will she return?"

"_I cannot say. The future is ever changing. Freya must go to Sovngarde, but beyond that, it is up to her. If she lives through the fight against Alduin, she will be given a choice. The decision lies with her alone."_

I nodded. My mind was made up already. I would accept this trade, and live to aid Freya. "I accept your proposal," I stated.

"_Very well. If you need assistance, pray to me. I will help in any way I can."_

I began fall, faster and faster. The light was fading, as well as the other's presence.

"To whom do I pray?" I asked.

"_Pray to Mara. And remember, Silas. Change is coming. Prepare yourself."_

Mara's voice faded, and my eyes closed of their own accord. I felt my mind slipping into darkness, and I was soon asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Good evening everyone! We draw ever closer to the 'change' Mara spoke of. To be precise, it happens over the next two chapters. I hope everyone can hang in there until that happens! School starts tomorrow, so I have no idea when I'll be able to find the time to write. But hopefully I can update soon. Also, I've been thinking of changing the name of this story so that I don't get accused of 'leeching fame' anymore. Because that just PISSED ME OFF so bad. So yeah. If you have any idea for a good title, leave a review with your suggestion in it please. As always, enjoy! Until next time my beauties! :D

Chapter 13

When I woke, I was aware of the pain before anything else. It felt like someone had inserted a burning brand underneath the skin above my hip. Something heavy rested on my left arm, pinning it to the bed. And whatever it was, it was breathing.

Opening my eyes for the first time in what felt like years, I took in my surroundings. A single candle lit the room just barely enough for me to make out Freya's sleeping form. Her head rested on her arms, which were folded haphazardly over my own arm. Her face was slack, mouth agape, her breath coming slow and steady. It seemed like an uncomfortable position, to be sleeping half on a chair and half on a bed.

I extricated my arm as gently as possible from her sleeping embrace, and gathered what I could of her into my arms. Trying to cause myself as little pain as possible, and trying not to wake Freya up, I half lifted half dragged her onto the bed next to me.

I sighed, memories of a strange dream worming their way back into my head. I wondered what my test would be, and what change I had to prepare myself for. My entire life had been turned upside down just by meeting Freya. What more could change? And more importantly, would the change be for the better, or for the worse? I needed more information than the morsels I had been given.

I was weary, and felt aches in places that had never ached before. My eyelids drooped, though I fought to stay awake. I was so confused and apprehensive about the things Mara had said to me, I didn't want to sleep. I needed to make sense of all that had just happened to me. But after a few minutes, I decided I was getting nowhere, and drifted off.

I cursed myself for falling asleep. I was supposed to be watching him, making sure he was alright, and I had fallen asleep. When I had woken, my left arm and leg had been draped across Silas' body, and there was a small puddle of saliva resting on his bandaged shoulder.

I had quickly wiped it away with the blanket, hoping he wouldn't wake up and find that I had been drooling on him in my sleep. And then it hit me. How had I gotten into the bed? As I lay there pondering, Silas stirred, opened his eyes, and looked over at me.

I tried my best to smile, but seeing him awake-_alive-_ made me want to cry. And I did. Before I could stop them, tears were rolling down my face and splashing onto his shoulder. He brought a hand up and cupped my cheek, wiping away my tears with a warm thumb.

"Don't cry," he whispered. I reached up and cupped my hand around his, and nuzzled deeper into his hand.

"I thought I'd lost you," I murmured, throat constricted by tears. "This is all my fault. I should have never asked you to come with me. And now you're hurt because of me."

"You have made my life worth living, Freya," he said softly as he wiped away more tears. "I would suffer a thousand deaths before I changed a single moment."

"You mean that?" I sniffed. He nodded, a small smile appearing.

"I do."

"You saved my life, Silas," I paused. "Thank you." He nodded, and I pressed my face into his shoulder. The bandages felt rough against the skin of my cheek. I jumped up, hoping I hadn't hurt him too badly.

"I'm sorry!" I said. "I forgot about your shoulder." Silas' brows furrowed for a moment, and then he reached over and slid the bandages off of his shoulder. I expected to see stitches and maybe some blood, but there was only smooth skin. It was like there was never an arrow there at all.

"Mara…" Silas whispered.

"What?" I asked, a little more than slightly confused.

"When I was asleep, I had this dream. It seemed real at the time, but after I woke up, I figured it was just a dream. It must have been real, though. Mara saved me. She must have healed it when she touched it."

"Mara saved you?" I asked, becoming more and more bewildered.

"Yes," he paused for a moment. "I was dying, and she saved me."

His brows furrowed, and when I asked him what he was thinking, he just shook his head. I felt horrible. Silas had almost died because of me. If not for Mara, I would have been alone. Again. I sent a quick prayer to Mara in thanks, and then sat myself in the chair again.

"What about your hip?" I asked.

"I don't think she healed it. It still hurts pretty badly."

"Could I try to heal it?" I asked, a little tentatively.

Silas pulled down the blanket, exposing an expanse of white bandages wrapped around his lower abdomen. His skin was still pale, and there was a spot of red on the bandages over the wound. I grabbed a steel dagger from where it had been lying on the table and wondered briefly how it had gotten there before I cut the bandages off of Silas. The wound had been sewn up hastily, and looked quite gruesome in the dim lighting.

I would need a thinner blade to cut the strings loose, but the steel dagger would have to suffice. It had a sharp blade. I gently lifted one of the strings to make room enough for the tip of the dagger, and cut it as carefully as possible. I took my time cutting each of the remaining six strands, trying to cause as little pain as possible.

Silas was silent throughout the entirety of the ordeal, and when I was finished I looked to his face to make sure he was alright.

"Go ahead and heal it," he said quietly. I placed my hands just above the broken skin and began searching for my magic. It took a few seconds to find it, but soon I felt it coursing up through my core and into my arms, extending down to my fingertips and flowing into the wound.

After a few minutes I released my hold, and it retreated gently to sit just beneath my heart. I pulled my hands away, hoping that it had worked. His skin was smooth again, like it should have been, except for a thin silvery blue-line. It was almost like a scar, but it faded in and out of sight as the candle flickered.

"What is that?" I asked, looking up at Silas. He seemed more relaxed now, and he sat up and held out his arm. The same faint blue line was there.

"When you heal a wound, some of your magic gets left behind. Everyone's magic is a different color. Whatever color your magic is, a line of the same color will remain on the place the wound was. It's like a scar, but it fades over time."

At that moment, someone pounded on the door. I stood swiftly and went to open it. Behind the door stood a sweaty man with wild eyes.

"Dragonborn!" He shouted. "A dragon has been spotted flying on the other side of the river. It's headed this way!"

I was instantly in action. Having slept in my armor, I was already outfitted for battle. I gathered my weapons, and before I could stop him, Silas was on his feet. He donned his armor in smooth, mechanical motions learned from years of practice, and then grabbed his bow.

"Are you sure you can do this?" I asked him. I was concerned that he might still be too weak to fight, but he nodded resolutely.

"I'm fine, Freya." He stated. "Let us do away with this menace before it causes anyone harm."

With that, I led the way from the room and out of the inn. As soon as I stepped outside, I heard the roar of a dragon. I stepped out into the street, and watched as the ancient dragon winged its way towards us. Silas' presence behind me was a comfort in more ways than one. I sent a prayer to Mara, begging her to keep him safe throughout this fight.

As the dragon swooped by overhead, I turned and shot Silas a predatory smile. He looked alert and prepared, bow drawn and arrow nocked. We stood, awaiting the dragon's approach, ready for battle. Little did I know, everything would change after this battle.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: And so, my friends, we reach the place where things go awry. This chapter is shorter than the others, but I think that's okay. I _think_. If it's not, oh well. Sorry. :/ You guys are probably going to hate me for this. As always, thanks for those of you who reviewed, favorited, and are following the story. And thank you to all the silent ones out there who read but do not comment. Just knowing people are reading makes me happy. Enjoy lovies!

Chapter 14

As soon as the ancient dragon landed, I charged. Silas fired arrow after arrow at the beast, and it roared its fury at the indifferent sky. Its attention was divided; I dodged its wings, slashing holes in the thin membranes, and Silas kept its gaping maw away from me by firing arrows at it.

I was determined to keep Silas away from the fight so that he didn't sustain anymore injuries. My soul flared at the challenge of the fight. I watched the dragon lift his head slightly, and yelled at Silas to get out of the way just as a stream of flames was sent in his direction.

Once Silas was back on his feet, I hacked at the dragon's wing, aiming for the thin bones. I felt a crunch beneath my sword, and the dragon's roar of pain severed the sky. I hoped that Alduin, wherever he was, could hear this dragon's cries.

I ducked beneath its tail, dodging the dragon's futile attempt to catch me off guard. I drove my sword deep into the muscle of its shoulder and yanked the blade free, spinning out of range. Silas had run out of arrows, and without him distracting it, it was not safe to be that close to the creature anymore.

I backed off and joined Silas, waiting for the dragon's next attack. It came in the form of fire, and as I ran from the tendrils of flame, the dragon tried to lift off. Its broken wing flapped uselessly, and the dragon roared in fury. I could see the madness in its eyes, the flare of its nostrils as its scaly lips closed over yellowed daggers.

This dragon wasn't giving up. I didn't expect it to. The Dov were a proud race, and would fight until the very end. My heart hammered in my chest. Sweat dripped into my eyes, but I did nothing. I stood, eyes locked with those of the enraged dragon. In its eyes, I saw resignation. This Dovah knew the fight would soon be over. I also saw the will to crush me into the ground, the desire to claw and bite and tear until nothing was left but bloody shreds of flesh.

I smiled. This dragon would not have the pleasure of killing me.

"Come, Great One," I said. "Let us finish this."

Though it was my destiny to rid Skyrim of the Dov, I felt a great respect for them. They were such an old race. They had seen things I could only dream of. In the deepest part of my heart, I also felt envy. Having the soul of a dragon made me wish for the sky. I yearned to stretch my wings and let the wind carry me where it would.

Alas, this wild soul was trapped in a body confined to the earth. I would never see the land from the Divines' point of view. I would never feel the wind beneath me, cradling me in its wide expanse. My heart ached at the thought.

The dragon lifted its head and screamed a challenge at the sky, the words of the ancient tongue foreign in my ears. It fixed a great amber eye on me, and I readied myself for the end of the fight. I held my sword at the ready, steeled my nerves, and charged.

I heard a warning shout from Silas, but the bloodlust pounded in my ears. I heard only the dragon's great breaths and the pounding of my heart. I was focused only on the dragon; all else was unimportant at the moment.

In a flurry of metal and scale, I crashed into the dragon, striking what I could as quickly as possible. A little late, I noticed the dragon's head snaking towards where I stood near its shoulder. There was a horrible screech as tooth met steel, and a bright spot of pain flared in my side.

In an effort to escape the jaws of death, I stabbed at the dragons head. I felt my sword split the tough skin and then slide into bone. Suddenly, my sword slipped and the dragon's jaw went slack. I fell backwards from the toothy embrace, and scooted farther away as quickly as possible.

My Daedric sword was protruding from the dragon's left eye socket. The Dovah shook its head furiously from side to side, trying in vain to dislodge the painful object. From the corner of my eye, I saw Silas drop his bow and take off at a sprint towards the dragon.

At the last moment, he leapt and landed on the dragon's neck. I watched as he grasped the hilt of my sword and shoved it deeper into the dragon's eye. The Dovah gave one last shudder before dying. Silas slid off of the corpse and ran to my side.

I glanced down only to see myself covered in a red liquid. It took a few seconds to realize that the red liquid was blood. My blood. There were several tears in my armor. Jagged edges stuck out, more and more blood pouring out.

I looked into Silas' eyes, shocked. I felt him slide an arm around my back, and I collapsed against him. He held me close, my back against his chest, and he whispered. I couldn't hear what he said. His hands slid down to the holes in my armor, and a bright light shrouded them. The light grew, encompassing everything.

The dragon's soul had found its way to us, but I did not feel it merging with my soul. Silas went stiff against me. He had healed some of my wounds, but I was too weak to fully comprehend what was happening. I heard him scream, the sound coming from deep within.

I could see only the sky, but Silas continued to scream. I tilted my head to the side, wondering when I had fallen to lay on my back, and watched as the last of the dragon's soul merged with Silas'. I looked back towards the sky, my head screaming that something wasn't right, but my mind was clouded. As anguished screams morphed into a roar of agony, everything went black.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Okay guys! Here we are again. I just want to say thanks to all of you who reviewed, and a special thanks to HereLies for every wonderful review left for me. I don't know when I'm gonna be able to post again. I figured I should get a chapter up before the storm gets too bad and I lose internet (or worse, power!). I live on the Gulf Coast, so yeah. People who have lived here their entire lives are freaking out about this wee little Cat. 1 hurricane even though we survived Katrina, which was a Cat. 5. I don't get it. But anyways, enjoy you guys!

Chapter 15

Freya was dying. Her blood poured out onto the grass, and she looked up at me with glassy blue eyes. I saw no fear, only confusion. I didn't think she felt any pain. In the midst of my panic, I prayed. I begged Mara to save her. I bargained my life for hers... But Mara did not answer.

I positioned my hands over the horrendous gashes in Freya's pale skin, tried not to look too closely at the pale streaks of bone I could see between gushes of crimson. I felt my magic rush up and into my fingers, prayed that I was not too late. And still, her eyes stared up at me.

I heard the dragon's body disintegrate, knew its soul would come to Freya. I wondered if it would heal her. Mara was still silent. I wondered if I really had been dreaming. This couldn't be the test; Freya was close to death. What was I supposed to do if she died? I didn't want to think about it.

Some of the residents of Dragon Bridge had come out of hiding, and were marveling at the skeleton. Did they not notice that she was dying? I could feel her fading even as I healed her. And then it happened.

At first, I was too surprised to move. I could only sit as the dragon's soul rushed into me. I thought maybe it was a mistake, and that the soul would leave and go to Freya, where it belonged. I didn't expect the pain.

Something in me tore. I could feel my being alter. My soul and the dragons twisted together, fighting one another before they finally merging together. I heard my bones snap. They were morphing-elongating-beneath my skin. My muscles tore apart, my skin split, and I screamed.

Voices faded in and out of range. I felt warm all over, like waking up on a winter morning underneath thick furs on a soft bed. I didn't want to open my eyes. I was so tired. I heard a woman scream, and memories came fluttering back. A dragon, blood, Silas…

I sat bolt upright, frightening the three women that had been gathered around me. The warmth faded, leaving hollow exhaustion in its wake. I recognized the women as the ones that had healed Silas.

"What happened?" I asked. There was a large commotion behind me, and I turned to face a horrible sight.

An ancient dragon lay sprawled on the ground, people swarming all around it. I reached for my sword, but it was absent. I vaguely remembered stabbing a dragon in the eye. I rushed over, shoving people out of my way as I went, until I reached the dragon's head.

"What happened here?" I asked. Several heads turned towards me, faces filled with fear and excitement. "What happened?" I asked again.

"Your companion, Milady," a man said timidly. "When we got here, he was already…"

The man trailed off and glanced meaningfully at the dragon. _No,_ I thought. _Nonononono…_ I stepped closer to the dragon, a dream flashing through my head. Mist, Alduin, and another dragon. _NO._

"There was nothing we could do," the man continued as I stepped closer to the dragon. "By the time someone got close enough to help, he had already finished."

"Finished what?" I asked.

"Changing."

I dropped to my knees in front of the dragon. _It has to be another dream. _I tried to convince myself, but I knew it wasn't true. Silas had absorbed the dragon's soul, and had been transformed into a dragon himself.

My mind raced, thoughts swirling together, forming one jumbled mess of noise. _My fault_, I heard. _My fault._ Louder and louder. I reached a hand out and brushed the scales between the dragon's nostrils. Its breath tickled my palm.

I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. It _couldn't be_ Silas. This had to be a mistake. This couldn't happen to him. A huff of breath blew my hair from my face, and the dragon's head shifted where it lay on the ground. The crowd of people jumped back.

I wished they would all go away. I wanted to be alone with him. When he woke up, I would do my best to keep him calm. It would help if there weren't twenty people standing around staring at him. I straightened from my crouched position, and felt a strange crinkling sensation on my side.

When I looked down, the memory came flooding back. Dried blood covered my armor and the shirt beneath. There were gaping tears in both metal and cloth, but the skin beneath was whole and undamaged. Faint green lines striped across my stomach and onto my side.

A woman screamed, and I looked up just in time to see Silas' eyes open. They were the same forest green as always, but the pupil was now a mere slit. His eyes focused on me, and I tried my best to keep a calm face.

A startled growl escaped his toothy maw, his tail lashed from side to side behind him. It cleaved a tree in two, and he whipped his head around to see what had just happened. When he saw the rest of his body, he froze. It was a few seconds before that his anguished, keening cry pierced the air.

People scattered in all directions at the sound, startled and frightened. I tried to keep my composure, but was losing the fight as I watched Silas battle for control over the foreign body. He struggled to rise, but had no control over his wings. He became a wriggling mass of scaled flesh and muscle. I was forced to step back out of harm's way.

His tail smashed into the corner of the inn, splitting wood and sending chunks flying in all directions. I needed to calm him down soon or there would be nothing left of Dragon Bridge.

"Silas!" I screamed over his roars of frustration. He couldn't hear me. I quickly shouted the words for Kyne's Peace, hoping it would calm him down enough for me to explain what had happened. He came to rest within a few seconds, lying on his left side with his wing pinned beneath him.

"Silas," I spoke softly, trying to soothe him with my voice. "It's okay, Silas. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I should never have asked you to come with me. I'm so sorry."

I inched towards him, moving slowly towards his head. His eyes were wide with fear, pupils dilated to obsidian orbs. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, falling to the gouged earth. I continued my stream of words, watched his head fall to rest on the ground, heard the sigh heaved forth.

"Freya," he spoke, teeth glinting in the sun. His voice was still smooth silk, only deeper. I reached out hesitantly, brushed the smooth scales between his eyes. They closed slowly, and another sigh was heaved. His body trembled, from fear or anger I didn't know.

"The soul," he said with a broken voice. "I don't understand."

"We need to leave," I said so only he could hear. The people were beginning to gather again, curious whispers floating to my ears. The boldest in the crowd were edging closer, hoping for a better view. The innkeeper saw the damage to the inn and began yelling, ranting about how compensation was necessary. I stood form my crouched position by Silas' head.

"Get up, Silas," I commanded. He shifted his weight, trying to roll off of his wing without causing pain, and was lying on his belly in a matter of seconds. He struggled to use his wings as arms and push his body off of the ground.

The people were edging closer and closer because he was moving, the whispers growing in volume. "We should keep him here," someone whispered. "Imagine the business we would get if we had a live dragon in town!"

"Silas," I said more urgently, scanning my surroundings. I looked for Jala amongst the thickening crowd, planning an escape route. "You need to fly," I said, spotting someone with a bundle of rope. "Now."

The earth shook as Silas lifted his front end and flapped his wings, only to fall back to the ground. He tried again, flapping harder this time. A form broke from the group, jogging towards us.

"Fly, Silas!" I shouted, sprinting to meet the man head on. He was so focused on Silas that he didn't notice me. I slammed into him with such force that he flew to the ground. We grappled, and I came up on top. I rammed one gauntleted fist into the man's stomach, causing him to double up and gasp for breath.

Silas was struggling to lift off, and more forms were breaking from the crowd. I only had one chance to deter them all and give Silas the time he needed. I sucked in a deep breath and felt the power of the Dragon Tongue rise inside of me.

"Fus ro dah!" I shouted, watching as the force of my words ram into the villagers and knock them to the ground. I glanced towards Silas and was glad to see that, through much effort, he was finally in the sky.

I ran for Jala. She stood just beside the road that led over the bridge. I jumped onto her back, scrabbled for the reins, and kicked her into a gallop. We thundered across the bridge and onto solid earth, Jala's hoofs kicking up clods of earth as she ran.

I craned my neck, looking for Silas. He was struggling to stay in the air. I yelled his name, hoping he could hear me. I pointed up, signaling for him to gain as much altitude as possible. I prayed that the townspeople wouldn't follow us so that I could focus my attention on helping Silas deal with this major change.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long. I've been really busy, and my laptop screen broke so I couldn't see anything. My dad FINALLY bought me a monitor, so now my laptop is hooked up bobo style. But hey, it works. Pretty boring chapter, if I say so, so I'm gonna start writing another one right now and hopefully have it out soon for you guys! I'm so so so so sosososo sorry for the super long wait. :( please let me know if there are any mistakes, if you like it, if you hate it, etc.

EDIT: It was brought to my attention that my page break didn't show up. Sorry if it confused you. I put them in when I write them, but for some reason, when I upload the chapter to the site, it takes them out. Thank you simplykaotic222 for pointing this out to me, as I forgot that this happens frequently. :) Sorry guys!

Chapter 16

After a few more minutes at a gallop, I slowed Jala to a gentle trot. Silas circled overhead, trying not to get too far ahead of us without landing.

I motioned to a clearing off the path a ways, and watched him break from his circle and make his way over to the clear space. There was a thundering crash, and Jala tripped hard as the ground shook. She righted herself quickly, but began to limp after a few steps.

I hopped down from her back, hoping no serious damage had been done. My worry for Silas caused me to drag Jala to the clearing I had indicated. When I finally found Silas, a wave of pity and remorse swept over me.

He lay on his side, right wing pinned beneath his massive form. His ribs expanded and contracted with each shuddering, heaved breath he took. He trembled from his snout to the tip of his tail. I approached slowly, speaking in soft tones, trying my best to keep him calm. Scaly lids were squeezed shut over his eyes, his nostrils flaring as hot air was expulsed from his lungs.

"Silas," I said quietly. One forest green eye opened slowly, its pupil contracting to a slit so quickly I almost missed it. "Silas," I whispered. I extended a hand as I drew closer, and watched his eye close as I rubbed soothing circles on his cheek. After what seemed like hours, he heaved a great sigh and relaxed.

I worked my way over to his right side, hoping that I could pull his wing from beneath him. It had to be uncomfortable laying on it. It was bent at such an odd angle that for a moment I thought it was broken. As if sensing what I wanted, Silas rolled off of the leathery membrane as far as he could, and then lifted his body. I helped to straighten the stiff muscles and laid his wing out beside him.

"Are you alright?" I asked him. He snorted, a puff of smoke rising to be carried away by the wind. He rose to a crouch, and I wondered briefly how far I would need to retreat to reach a safe zone. Before I could reach a decision, Silas exploded.

An earsplitting roar erupted from between dagger-sized teeth, an inhuman cry of frustration. Flocks of birds fluttered from the treetops and flew away as fast as their wings would carry them. Jala gave a startled whinny and shied a few paces to the side, head held high and ears pricked.

"MARAAA!" Silas screamed. I didn't understand why he was calling to the deity, and didn't bother wasting time thinking about it. All I could think about was the fact that Silas was hurting, and it was my fault. I didn't know how to help him.

I sobbed. He screamed his fury. I wanted more than anything to reach out and hold him, but was unable to do so. His tail lashed, his talons gorged, and all the while I merely stood and watched him.

O.o.O

Weak. Helpless. Broken. I lay in a tangled heap of aching, quivering muscles. I didn't notice Freya's approach until she said my name. I opened one eye, watching her as she cautiously stepped forward. Her muscles were tense, and I could smell the fear rolling off of her. I wanted to speak, to tell her that she shouldn't be afraid, but could not form the words.

She stroked my cheek, her fingers skimming gently over the bony armor covering my skin. My thoughts ran in confused messes. A light breeze brought the scent of fresh water, whispering comfort to my addled mind. Freya did her best to help untangle me, and soon I was laying more comfortably.

_Silas?_ Mara's voice sounded timid inside my head. I chose not to answer, instead sighing deeply. I had no interest in listening to her, yet she persisted. _Silas, you must listen. Freya will save the world one day. Soon. She needs help. You must understand-_

_Understand?! _I shouted at her. _I must understand what? That for Freya to save the world, I must become this… this thing? That you must ruin me as a human for you 'plan' to work? _You _don't understand. You don't know what this is like. I am like a child again! Learning to walk, learning to live! You have ruined me._

I roared in fury at my fate. A helpless newborn in a foreign body. Freya stumbled backwards, startled by my sudden outburst. I heard the horse neigh somewhere close by but ignored it, instead rearing back and screaming my rage at the sky.

I felt warmth inside me, and uncomfortable heat growing in my belly. The heat expanded, rapidly filling me and giving strength to my limbs. It roared up my throat and out between my teeth. Fire spewed from between my jaws. It surprised me so much that I clamped my mouth shut.

The fire within me died quickly, smoke rising from my flared nostrils. I stared wide-eyed at the flaming tree before me, surprised that I had caused it to burn. And then I heard it. A high pitched, pealing giggle. I whipped my head towards the source, finding Freya rolling around on the ground, laughing. At me.

"You… Your face…" she said between fits of giggles. "You looked so surprised….. I.. I'm sorry…It just… Ah, Gods….." Her giggling continued for some time. I waited, staring at her as she curled herself into a ball and continued to laugh.

Finally, the laughs turned to sighs, and I watched her wipe tears from her eyes. She stood and brushed herself off before walking closer. She stayed out of biting rage, I noticed, but there was no need for it.

"Do you feel better now?" she asked quietly. "I do. I'm sorry for laughing at you."

I blinked, unsure of what to say. I was confused by all of this, and frightened. I was also furious. My anger had subsided some, and sat coiled like a snake ready to strike. I knew it would be days before it was completely gone.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Woo! Two chapters in one day. Trying to make up for lost time. Sorry they're so short. :/ as always, enjoy! :D

Chapter 17

Night was falling, but as tired as I was I knew we had to move on. We had been in the clearing for too long, and it made me nervous. Silas had drifted off, his copper colored scales glinting in the sunlight with each breath he took. The black patches on the thin membranes of his wings contrasted sharply with the pale green of the grass.

Jala stood under a tree, dozing in the shade. I had checked her leg and found her to be sound, but was still apprehensive about riding her. The light filtering through the leaves created a gray and white dapple on her piebald coat.

They were so peaceful looking; I didn't want to disturb them, but I was restless and worried. I feared that the townspeople would find us and try to take Silas away from me. I wanted to get moving as soon as possible, but didn't know which path would be the best to take.

I wanted to help Silas, but the only place I could think to take him was the Throat of the World. To Paarthurnax. It was quite a distance away, and if I was going to ride Jala the entire way, it might take a week and a half if we traveled quickly and only stopped to sleep. Jala would be killed at that pace.

I thought about asking if I could ride Silas, but was unsure. He was still new to in his body, and after the crash landing he had today, I wasn't too keen on asking him to fly us. Also, what if it insulted his pride? Dragons were proud creatures, and probably thought it would be a horrid experience to give a human a ride. Let alone the Dragonborn, most capable dragon slayer in all the lands.

But Silas was human first, so perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

I walked to his side, slightly wary of the imposing form. _It's just Silas,_ I told myself. _It's still him._ I reached a hand out, slowly, and placed it between his closed eyes. He lazily opened one and stared up at me for a moment before picking his head up off the grass. I took it as a cue to speak.

"I think we should leave," I told him. "We've been here too long." I glanced around the meadow. All was still, but I didn't trust it. Silas lifted his nose, nostrils flaring as he scented the wind.

"I smell nothing, but I agree." He brought his head to my level, tilting his head to look at me with a forest colored eye. "Where will we go?"

I sighed. "The Greybeards, I think. They might be able to help you." I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. I held back my guilty tears, taking a shaky breath and releasing it slowly.

"What will we do with the horse?" Silas asked. "I assume that- to save time-you will fly with me?" I thought for a second. I didn't want to leave Jala behind, but I didn't know what else to do. I was disappointed about having to leave her, but knew it was best for her.

"Jala," I cooed softly as I approached her. She lifted her head and gazed at me with her large brown eyes. I untied the saddle, letting it slide from her broad back to the ground. Next, I undid the knots holding her bridle together, and removed the leather straps from her face.

I ran my hand down her face, scratching her cheek bones and behind her ears. "Good luck," I told her, and slapped her rump. She took off at a gallop, startled, and I watched her until she disappeared from sight around the bend.

I gathered our provisions and strapped my pack to my back, ready to go. I turned and found Silas crouched, prepared for take-off. I walked to him as confidently as I could. Inside, I was panicking. I hadn't ever told anyone, but I was terrified of heights. And here I was, about to hop onto a novice dragon's back. I made a quick prayer to all of the gods.

When I got close, Silas dropped his head, allowing me to climb (rather ungracefully, to my shame) onto his neck. I seated myself between two rows of short, blunt spikes and tried to grip anything that I could. Silas lifted his head, and my legs reflexively tightened around his hard scales.

He pushed himself up, putting most of his weight on his back legs, and then lifted his wings. He brought them down with such force that dust flew up around us. But it was not enough to leave the ground. He pushed again, harder this time, and then again. It took less time than the first time he tried to fly, but I could tell he was still frustrated.

We rose steadily, climbing higher and higher until we were above the treetops. He tilted his wings, catching air at a different angle, and-slowly-we moved forward. He continued gaining altitude until we were sufficiently high enough, and then angled himself slightly toward the ground. I gripped him tightly with my legs.

He gained speed, and circled toward the tallest mountain in Skyrim; the Throat of the World. I forced myself to look straight ahead, knowing that if I looked anywhere else, my fear would kick into overdrive. I think Silas sensed my fear, because he made sure that his movements were slow and gentle.

"I won't let you fall," Silas' voice drifted up from beneath me.

"I know," I called over the wind. "I just… I'm afraid of heights," I admitted.

"That's a shame," he said. "It's beautiful up here."

I debated with myself, my logical half stating that if I looked around, I would undoubtedly become so greatly frightened that I would immediately fall from Silas' back and to my death. My more free thinking, impulsive side said that at least the view would be impressive as I fell. And so I chanced a look, despite my fears.

It took my breath away. We were high up, so that mammoths looked to be no bigger than saber cats, and people were like ants. Streams and rivers ran like blue ribbons on green cloth. Suddenly, a great jealousy overcame me. No wonder why dragons spent most of their time flying. It was beautiful up here.

Guilt followed the jealousy. I had taken this view from so many. Countless dragons would never see the land this way ever again. Would never feel the gentle caress of the wind. I turned my face to the setting sun, closed my eyes, and begged forgiveness. A solitary tear slid down my cheek.

That's when I heard it. The unmistakable roar of a dragon that has just sighted its next prey. I sighed. Could this day get any worse?


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: So I've been listening to music all day, and I feel that a particular Breaking Benjamin song kinda fits this fic. Blow Me Away is the song, and if you haven't heard it, you should run and check it out. Anywhoo, enjoy it dudes. Or not. Just let me know what you think. :)

Chapter 18

"Hold on!" Silas roared. He tipped forward into a nose dive and tucked his wings to his sides, gaining speed but losing altitude. The trees approached rapidly, and just before we crashed into them, Silas unfurled his wings and stopped our descent. We skimmed quickly above the treetops for a mere few seconds before Silas pulled up sharply and used our speed to gain more altitude than we had before.

The frost dragon roared a challenge as it approached, winging its way towards us as quickly as it could. I pulled my bow from my shoulders and nocked an arrow, prepared to fight. Silas' body trembled beneath me as he roared in return. He beat his wings hard, almost climbing the wind to gain the advantage.

I had never before seen two dragons fight each other. I had no idea how dragons fought whilst flying, and wondered just how this was going to work. And if we would survive. Silas may have been the more powerful dragon, but he was inexperienced.

I drew my bow, aimed it at the frost dragon, and waited for it to come within range. Silas roared again beneath me, and a strange feeling came over me. I felt… _powerful_. Like nothing could stop me. I was riding a _dragon_. I laughed.

I unleashed the arrow and drew another, firing at the frost dragon. One arrow bounced harmlessly off of a tough scale, but the second hit the dragon in its right eye. _Lucky shot,_ I thought to myself. The frost dragon roared, but continued on its path. Straight towards us.

"Silas!" I screamed, but the wind swallowed my words. He pulled back, coming to almost a dead stop in mid-air high above the ground. The frost dragon didn't stop, instead releasing a burst of ice from its gaping maw. And then it slammed into Silas with a sound like thunder.

I held on as tightly as I could, but Silas' scales were all hard and smooth. We fell, the two titans locked in combat, growling and snapping their jaws. I slid down Silas' neck and onto his back, the fingers of my free hand searching desperately for anything to grab onto.

They found no purchase, and so I slid farther down. Silas' legs were kicking at the frost dragon, and I heard a shriek as his talons found purchase in the softer scales of the dragon's underbelly. I chanced a look around, but the world was spinning dizzyingly fast so that I could not make out what was up and what was down.

Still sliding, I began to panic when I felt Silas' body grow narrower. His tail. I gave up trying to find hand holds and instead wrapped both arms and legs around the thick appendage. I slid down a bit more before coming to rest against the spade-like end of his tail. I clamped my eyes shut and hoped the fight would end soon.

There was another shriek, some thrashing, and then we slowed drastically as the two dragons parted. I heard Silas grunt in his effort to stop our descent, and we leveled out. His legs straightened, and I noticed a long gash running along the outside of his left leg. But his talons were coated in the thick red of his opponent's blood. My heart swelled with pride.

I slowly inched my way back up to his neck, taking my place just behind the great horns protruding from his skull.

"Are you alright?" he called.

"Fine," I replied. "Can you still fight?"

"Yes." The frost dragon circled some ways from us, working to regain altitude.

"You have to use your fire," I yelled to Silas.

"I've tried," he said in a hopeless tone. "I don't know how."

"How did you do it before?" I asked. The frost dragon turned and started flying towards us, ready for another go. "You can do it, Silas! I know you can."

I tried my best to be encouraging despite my fears. Silas beat his wings furiously, working hard to gain height. And then something changed. It was like Silas wasn't Silas anymore. He became something else. Something terrible and ferocious. Something _dangerous._

It scared me.

The frost dragon drew near, preparing to lock with Silas in combat once again. But he would never get the chance. Silas opened his mouth, a powerful jet of flame engulfing the frost dragon. It was weak when it came to fire, and the half-blind dragon was no match for the angry heat spewing from between Silas' dagger-sized teeth.

The dragon tried to turn away, to escape the killing flames, but never got the chance. Silas cut off the flames mid-stream and reached for the dragon with his teeth. His jaws clamped tightly around the frost dragon's throat, cutting off the roar of pain.

Blood spewed from the wound, and again we fell. The frost dragon thrashed in Silas' grip, but it was futile. Soon, the dragon stopped moving altogether. I watched as its one good eye glazed over in death. Silas released the dragon and spread his wings to stop our descent.

In the fading light, I watched the dragon fall the rest of the way to the ground and land with a crash, toppling a few trees on impact. Silas circled once, and then began his descent. He chose a cleared spot not far from the dead dragon and flapped his wings to gently bring us to the ground.

The talons of his back legs touched the ground first, and then steadily he lowered himself until he was crouched on the ground. I made to get off to inspect his wounded leg, and almost fell from his neck when he released the loudest roar I had ever heard from a dragon. It spoke of his triumph against the frost dragon, of his first victory in this new body.

When his mouth finally closed, echoes of his cry could be heard from all directions. I slid slowly from his neck, my knees wobbling from the stress of the battle and from holding on so tightly. Silas turned his head towards me, and I almost braced myself for battle. He had changed up there in the sky. It was almost like he was someone, or some_thing_, else.

But when I saw his eyes, that same forest green that I had come to love, I knew it was still him. Still Silas. I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, and his chest heaved with each breath he took. I nodded, unable to find my voice.

I swallowed and moved to inspect his wounded leg. The gash was as long as my arm, but it was not deep. A glancing blow in a desperate struggle to gain the upper hand. I slung my bow across my back and held my shaking hands to the wound, dredging up as much magic as I could to heal his wound.

My eyes closed in concentration, and I heard Silas sigh. My eyes opened a few minutes later to find that the wound had disappeared. He shifted to a more comfortable position, and in the light of the recently risen moon, the scales where the wound used to be flashed silvery-blue.

I felt as if I would collapse from exhaustion. The day had been long and stressful, and all I wanted was to escape into the refuge of sleep, even if it meant that I wandered the mists of Sovngarde in my nightmares.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Whoo! Trying to make up for lost time here. I guess I'm trying to fill these chapters up instead of just rushing through the story, so sorry if you get bored with this chapter. Next chapter Freya and Silas reach the Greybeards (finally!) and Freya learns the shout to call Odahviing. Exciting! Anyway, here ya go!

Chapter 19

"So, Silas," I started. "What are you going to eat?" The question had been plaguing me for most of the day, and it was only when we were sitting comfortably around our small camp fire that I decided to voice it.

Silas hummed deep in his throat and lifted his head from the ground. "I don't know," he stated simply. "I could go try my hand at hunting tomorrow morning." I stared into the flames, thinking on what he had said.

"I could try to help," I said after a while. "I'm not as good as you when it comes to using bows, but I might be able to kill something for you." He hummed again, and stretched his neck around so that his head rested on my folded legs.

I placed a hand on his jaw and absentmindedly began to scratch, moving my hand to different places every so often. His scaly eyelids closed, and he heaved a deep sigh. I smiled at his obvious contentment, and hoped that he was becoming more comfortable with his new body.

I ceased my scratching for a moment to scoot backwards and prop myself against his wing, which was tucked tightly against his side. He placed his head back in my lap, and after a few moments his deep breaths evened out as he drifted off to sleep.

I yawned. The day's events had been taxing, both emotionally and physically. I wanted nothing more than to follow after him and let sleep embrace me, but felt the need to keep watch. And so I forced myself to stay awake, watching the dancing flames turn to glowing embers as the night wore on.

My eyes refused to stay open, and I let them close, telling myself that I would use my ears instead of my eyes. Of course, a few minutes later, I was dead asleep.

I woke to the rumbling of thunder. I snapped my eyes open, but the sky was bright and clear. And then I realized that the sky was not making the noise, the dragon I was propped against was. I looked up to see Silas staring into the bushes across from us in the small clearing, his lips raised in a snarl, showing gleaming white teeth.

The rumbling sound was traveling from deep in his chest and up his throat. He was _growling._ I observed the bushes across the way, wondering what could have set him off. I stood, wincing as my cramped muscles stretched. Immediately Silas rose behind me and moved forward so that my small form was beneath his chest, his long neck snaking out before me, his head low to the ground.

"What is it?" I asked. I could see nothing, and could hear only his deep rumbling growl. He didn't answer. "_Laas ,_" I shouted, hoping to find out what, if anything, was in the bushes. The glowing red forms were numerous, and looked to be humans. My eyes narrowed, hand reaching for my sword.

I drew it in one fluid movement, and called out to the strangers. "Come out from there." I was prepared to defend Silas, but I knew he could take care of himself. He was a dragon, after all. There was a rustling in the bushes, and seconds later four people, two men and two women, stepped forth from the tree line.

"Peace, Dragon," one man said. The small party came to stop on the other side of the dead fire, arms out and palms showing. A sign of peace. I relaxed my stance, but did not sheathe my sword. "We have come to apologize for our actions yesterday. We witnessed the great battle between the two dragons, and realized too late our mistake. We bring gifts of food and water, and a small amount of ale."

Silas quieted his snarling, but did not relax. I chose to stay put beneath his towering form. "Take your 'gifts'," I said, a little harshly. I would not be so quick to forgive these people. "We do not need them." The man looked a bit disappointed, but I didn't care.

These people had threatened Silas, and were now begging forgiveness that I was not keen on giving. I sheathed my sword and moved to pack my bag. As soon as my back was turned, I heard Silas snort, and the gasps of the startled villagers. A few flinched and jumped backwards, and I turned to see a large plume of smoke rise to dissipate into the air above Silas' head.

I chuckled to myself and finished packing my things. Slinging my bow across my back, I moved towards Silas. He lowered his head and I jumped quickly onto his neck just behind the great black horns. It was much easier climbing up than it had been yesterday, and even though my muscles screamed in pain, I kept my face a mask of indifference.

Silas raised his head and reared back on his legs, wings beating powerfully until we were rising above the treetops once again. I was less afraid this time, and turned to look at the tall peak of the Throat of the World. It was still some ways away across the plains surrounding Whiterun.

I knew the place to be teeming with deer and elk, and thought it would be a good idea to stop there to hunt for Silas. I thought it over, wondering how many deer it would take to fill his stomach, and would like his meat cooked or raw? These thoughts occupied me for some time.

"Silas," I said, leaning forward so that he could hear me. "Just how hungry are you?"

He was silent for a moment, considering. "Quite hungry, actually," he said after a moment. "As if I could eat an entire mammoth."

And it hit me. _A mammoth._ _Not deer, but a mammoth._ "Very well, mammoth it is." I heard him give a deep, throaty chuckle. "Don't laugh. If that's what you want to eat, then that's what you'll eat. Now slow down and fly lower so that we can find one."

Not long after that, we were skimming along above the hills, gliding in search of a mammoth for lunch. We passed over Gjukar's Monument, and in a few seconds were nearing Sleeping Tree Camp. The two giants residing there were separated; one was near the fire, and the other was watching the two mammoths as they wandered.

"I don't really feel like fighting giants today," I called to Silas. "Although, it would be a good way to test your ground combat skills…"

He pulled up sharply and flared his wings, slowing to a near halt just above one of the mammoths. I clung to one of the black horns on his skull and unslung my bow, nocking an arrow and letting it fly in one smooth motion. It sailed towards the guardian giant, who was watching us with a rather comical look on his face, and hit him in his left shoulder.

The giant grunted in pain, and began his charge, swinging his club around. Silas waited until he was close enough, and then released a jet of white-hot flame at the giant. It took him by surprise, searing his skin and hair. His clothes caught fire, and I released another arrow as Silas flapped hard to gain some height.

The arrow hit the giant in the side of the head, effectively ending his suffering. By then, the mammoths were roaring in both fear and fury, and the other giant was charging towards us.

"Land!" I shouted to Silas. As soon as he touched the ground, I slid from his neck and retreated to a hill not too far away. I sent arrow after arrow at the giant, but was unable to bring him down before he reached Silas.

I watched, wide eyed, hardly breathing as the giant swung his massive club at Silas' head. Silas ducked at the last moment, the club swinging through empty air. Silas' head snaked out with lightening like quickness, and his jaws closed around the giant's left leg. He pulled back, and the giant came crashing down to the ground.

One of the mammoths made a move to attack Silas from behind, but he lashed out with his tail, striking the mammoth on its shoulder. It immediately retreated. Silas returned his attention to the giant, who was scrambling to get up.

I itched for battle, for the rush of adrenaline that came with slaying an enemy. I replaced my bow at my back and drew my sword. My feet carried me quickly towards the battle. Silas defended himself from two sides as mammoth and giant simultaneously attacked him.

"_Fus Ro Dah!" _I shouted. The giant, hit with the force of my voice, flew back and away from Silas, leaving him able to concentrate on his fight with the mammoth. I charged towards the stunned giant, intent on slaying him before he had the chance to retaliate.

My sword sliced in an arc over my head, singing a song of impending death. It came to rest in the giant's chest, piercing its heart. It died instantly. I turned, intent on finding the other mammoth, but could not find it.

Silas was snapping his jaws at the brave mammoth, taunting it to come closer. And it did. Silas' jaws opened, yellow light erupting from deep within, and engulfed the mammoth. He kept up with the steady stream of flames, intent on burning the mammoth to death. He soon got his wish.

The mammoth collapsed to the ground, dead. I could smell the stench of burning hair from where I was standing, probably a hundred yards from the burning corpse. I ran to Silas' side, grinning at him.

"You're not too bad at this dragon thing," I told him. His lips pulled back, showing his sharp white teeth. A sort of dragon smile. "Well," I told him, "enjoy. You've earned it."

He examined the dead mammoth, as if trying to find the best place to begin eating, and finally deciding the shoulder was the best place to start. I moved around to the mammoth's back and used my sword to cut a few strips of meat to dry in the sun.

I nibbled on a piece of meat, amused to find it cooked and satisfying. It had a spicy flavor, and I wondered if it was from the dragon fire. Silas soon retreated from the corpse, having eaten his fill, and stretched out lazily in the sun.

"Not quite hungry enough to eat a _whole _mammoth, I see," I quipped, laughing a bit. He opened an eye, stared at me for a moment, and let it close again. I stood and made my way over to him, clambering up into his back. I found a spot between his spikes and lay down, propping my head on my arms. I stared up at the sky, content to lie for a while and rest.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I figured I needed to crank out another chapter as a gift for you guys, cuz I love you all. So here it is. As always, please tell me if anything is wrong with it (typos, grammar, etc.). Enjoy, and please drop a review telling me what you think!

Chapter 20

I sighed. Silas had gone to sleep while sunbathing, and now I was bored. I didn't want to wake him up, but itched to do something. I watched a hawk fly over, and sighed again when it disappeared from view. I rolled onto my side and slid from Silas' back.

I walked a ways, glanced over my shoulder to make sure Silas was asleep, and then took off at a run. I wanted to visit Whiterun and gather some supplies. I didn't want to go to High Hrothgar and have to live off of the Greybeards.

My sword tapped rhythmically against my thigh as my feet pounded the ground. It felt good to run. My lungs expanded with each breath, filled with crisp Spring air. I suddenly felt very alive. I smiled for no reason, happy for the first time in what felt like years. I was light and airy, my head up in the clouds.

I ran towards the mountains, intent on following the road leading to Whiterun. Eyes on the ground, I did my best to pick a safe path up and down the rocky hills. The sounds of my heavy breathing filled my ears, and I jogged on, unaware of the danger lying ahead.

I slowed to a stop, a strange sound meeting my ears. It took me a few seconds to place the sound, but when I did, I immediately dropped into a crouch and ducked behind a boulder. The sound continued. It was indistinct, but I would recognize it anywhere. Dragon speech.

I chanced a peek over the top of the boulder. A dragon burial mound lay ahead, surrounded by hills and a few trees. A large, dark form was hovering in the air over the mound, speaking words I couldn't understand. My breath left me in a rush, making my head spin. I slowly retreated behind the rock, cursing myself for leaving the relative safety of Silas' side.

Alduin. Here. Now. _Alduin here now. ALDUIN HERE NOW! _Three words echoing in my head. More followed. _I'm going to die. This is it. I'm done for._ My eyes slid closed. Calming darkness. Alduin's words continued, but they didn't make any sense to me.

_Stop him,_ my brain commanded. _Stop him before he resurrects another dragon. _I forced myself into action. I took a deep, calming breath, opening my eyes slowly. The sun shone brightly, casting a light sheen over the world, bleaching all the colors into paler shades of their former selves.

Everything moved so slowly. I felt my body move of its own accord. My legs straightened as I stood, my hand reaching for the hilt of my Daedric sword. I drew it slowly, watching the sun glint off of the dark blade. My head turned, and I watched Alduin as he hovered.

My body turned, and soon I was walking. My eyes slowly rose and rested on the ebony scales of the mighty dragon before me. My legs carried me faster, and I broke into a jog, heading straight for the burial mound. I screamed at my muscles to stop, to turn and run to Silas, far over the hills. And yet I still charged towards the dragon.

Something else had taken control. Something screaming an unheard challenge at the black dragon. Something strong and powerful. I was getting close, and I could see that Alduin had noticed my presence. His head turned, agonizingly slow, and his bright crimson eyes sliced into mine.

"Zu'u lost daal, Dovahkiin. Daar Lein los dii." With that, he flew towards me. Whatever had taken control of me rose up, and as Alduin neared me, burst forth in the form of a shout.

"_Yol toor shul!" _Hot flame engulfed Alduin's body. I rolled, narrowly avoiding being crunched between his toothy jaws as he snapped at me from above. I stood, focusing on anticipating my opponents next move.

O.o.O

The ground shook beneath me, forcing me awake. A strange feeling swept over me. "Freya?" I called. No answer. I searched around, hoping to find her curled up somewhere, safe and asleep. The ground shook again, more violently.

"Freya!" _Please, let her answer. Please, Mara. Let her be safe._

Nothing.

A glint of golden yellow at the edge of my vision caught my attention. I whipped my head around to look, and couldn't believe my eyes. At the foot of the mountain, far over the hills, I could barely make out Alduin's form circling over the forest edge. The trees were on fire.

I leapt into the sky, urgency causing me to fly as fast as I could towards the black dragon. I pushed myself hard, gaining speed quickly as I raced to the burning patch of forest.

_Hurry, Silas,_ Mara spoke. I pushed harder. As I neared the dark dragon, I caught sight of Freya on the ground, doing her best to fight back. I roared, catching both her attention, and Alduin's. He looked surprised yet pleased, and opened his vile mouth to speak.

"Zeymah!" Alduin roared as I approached. "Drun me ek-"

I slammed into him before he had the chance to finish his sentence. I took advantage of his surprise, sinking my teeth into his shoulder just above his wing. We were suspended for a moment, but I managed to get my talons into the thin membrane of his right wing. They cut through like a knife through warm butter.

We fell from the sky like stones. I landed on top of Alduin, once again trying to get my claws into flesh. I felt him wriggling beneath me, his legs kicking, trying to find purchase on the smooth scales of my underbelly.

He roared in pain as I bit down harder on his shoulder. Warm blood seeped into my mouth, flowing like a river between my teeth. He was struggling desperately now, and finally managed to kick me off. We rolled, gathering our bearings before clashing again.

This time, Alduin managed to get his teeth into me, just beneath my wing. It didn't last long. I unleashed the fire within me, and he recoiled as the wave of heat buffeted him. We fell apart from each other, choosing to circle for a moment.

"Traitor!" Alduin shouted towards me. I chose not to answer, roaring at him instead. And then Freya chose to make her entrance.

"_Fus ro dah!" _She Shouted. Her Voice crashed into Alduin, knocking him off balance. I jumped onto him, pinning him to the ground and driving my teeth into his throat with as much force as I could muster. He shrieked, clawing at every inch of me he could reach.

"_Slen tiid vo!"_ Alduin Shouted. I hesitated, wary of the effect his shout might have. But nothing happened. I bit down harder, eliciting another shriek, before I heard it.

The burial mound exploded, sending rocks and large chunks of earth in all directions. There was a deep, guttural growl, and a skeleton clawed its way out of the ground.

Alduin took advantage of my surprise, thrashing violently and throwing me off of him. I landed hard on my back, the breath sent quickly from my lungs. I rolled over, aware now of the painful gashes along my side, and faced Alduin.

He was focused on the other dragon, but watched me warily. I felt a hand on my side, providing gentle comfort and strength.

"Krii daar pahlok meyye!" With that, Alduin took off. I braced for another attack, but he merely turned and flew away. _Coward,_ I thought. The dragon that had been left behind crawled forward to attack.

I wasted no time. I jumped, using my wings to sail farther, and landed on the ground before the dragon. I pounced, landing on the smaller dragon's back, twisting so that I had a clear shot at its neck. Just as I was about to sink my teeth in for the killing blow, something unexpected happened.

The dragon threw his head back, ramming the sharp points of its horns into my skull. The blow wasn't hard enough to break through the tough scales, but it caught me off guard. I recovered as quickly as possible, but by then the dragon had slithered out from beneath me.

And then, once again, Freya made her entrance. Just as the dragon was about to unleash its breath upon me, Freya came from the side and ducked underneath its head, ramming her sword up through the dragon's skull.

It was over before the dragon even realized it. It fell, and in that moment, I wondered if Alduin felt remorse. He had left this dragon alone to fight us, knowing very well that it would die by Freya's hands or my fire.

I knew that he didn't care. He cared only for himself. How could you kill something that felt no guilt? Something that could send thousands to die in his place with no second thought?

Translations: "Zu'u lost daal, Dovahkiin. Daar Lein los dii." - "I have returned, Dragonborn. This World is mine."

"Zeymah!" "Drun me ek-" - "Brother!" "Bring me her-"

"Krii daar pahlok meyye!" - "Kill these arrogant fools!"


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Wheeeeeheeeew! I'm on a roll! As an extra special Christmas present, I'm giving you all another chapter. The chorus of unenthusiastic yays may now ensue. In this chapter, nothing happens! Extra boring yay! Anyway, drop a review to let me know how this chapter makes you feeeel. Lol. Enjoy my awesome peeps that I love!

Chapter 21

After the battle, I healed Silas' wounds and tended to my own. I still felt dazed, but thankfully had control of my body now. I was still puzzled by what had happened earlier, but as the day wore on, I credited it to my dovah sil.

It worried me. If that were to happen in another battle, my soul causing me to charge, heedless of all danger, into the fray, what would happen? Would my dragon soul have the sense to stop fighting and run before I died?

These thoughts consumed my mind as I trudged up the road to Whiterun. We still needed supplies, and the earlier battle would not stop my trip to town. The fact that we had battled Alduin- and he had _run_ from us- was encouraging. Perhaps, one day, I would rise to defeat him. The feud had given me confidence.

And then a thought stopped me in my tracks.

Silas. If he hadn't been there, I would have been dragon food before the battle even began. I was expected to defeat Alduin on my own. At the moment, it was next to impossible. Silas had saved me again. I was nothing without him.

And that made me mad. I was weak. The people depended on me, and I depended on my follower-turned-dragon. I was a disgrace to the line of the Dragonborn. Unworthy of the title, the fame, the trust.

As if to mirror my mood, the skies clouded. Just as I reached the city gates, it began to pour. I was thankful for the rain. It washed away all traces of the hot tears streaming down my face. I walked through the deserted streets, head hung low in shame.

I blindly pushed my way into the Bannered Mare. Today, the heat from the great fire was a comfort. I chose to sit in a secluded corner, away from the other patrons. I sat for a while, staring into the flames, hoping that the warmth would draw me from my chilly depression.

"Can I get you anything?" I looked up to see a tall, busty barmaid standing before me, one hand on her hip. Her expression was gentle, her voice soft. I wondered just how bad I looked.

"I'll have a tankard of mead," I said tiredly. She nodded once and moved away. The bard struck up a cheery tune in hopes to drive off the low morale. It seemed that today was not a good day for many, and not just me.

The chair across from me scraped back just as the barmaid brought my mead. A tall Nord woman dressed in steel armor plopped noisily into the seat. I nodded thanks to the barmaid and turned to face the Nord woman.

"Can I help you?" I asked, trying to be polite.

"You're the Dragonborn, aren't you?" the woman asked. I nodded slowly. "Congratulations."

"For what?" I asked, taking a sip of my mead.

"Your victory over the World Eater," she said. "I was out hunting when I saw you battling him. And don't worry," she said with a wink, "I won't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?"

"About your dragon." The sly smirk on her face worried me. My thoughts immediately turned to what had happened at Dragon Bridge. I couldn't let happen again. And then she said something that I wasn't expecting at all. "I'm jealous."

My jaw dropped. My fingers, which had been wrapped tightly around the hilt of my sword, loosened their grip. I took a gulp from my tankard to calm my nerves.

"You're better than you think you are," she stated. "I've seen you in action a few times. I'm glad you're on our side." She smiled. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"Well," she smacked her hand on the table and leaned forward, "I've got to get going. Busy day, eh? Good luck Freya." With that, she stood and walked away. None of the other patrons even glanced at her when she left. I thought it was odd that she knew my name, but didn't fret over it. Most of the people in Skyrim knew my name simply because I was the Dragonborn.

I finished off my tankard in a few large swallows and made my way to the counter to buy some supplies. I took my time bartering, asking for the lowest possible price. When I was satisfied, I loaded my things into my pack, arranging them so that there was enough room.

I left the bar, trying to decide whether or not to clear up the weather. In the end, I let it rain. My mood was significantly improved. _What's wrong with a little water?_ I thought as I made my way back to where I had left Silas.

O.o.O

Freya had been gone for over an hour. I was beginning to grow worried that Alduin had come back for a rematch, and I wasn't there to help her. What if she had been attacked by werewolves? Or bandits? I was on the verge of flying to the city to look for her when she returned, soaked to the bone, but smiling.

"I got everything," she said. "And I met the strangest woman. I didn't even think to ask for her name…" she trailed off. "I was feeling a little down," Freya began, "and then this woman shows up. She told me she saw us fighting Alduin today, and congratulated our victory."

She told me of what the woman had said, and how it had given her hope. She also made mention of how no one noticed this woman, nor acknowledged her presence. For some reason, I thought of Mara.

"_Did you have anything to do with this?" _I asked.

"_Her confidence was low. She needed reassuring that she can indeed defeat Alduin on her own. So I visited her. Next time you two happen upon trouble, let her do most of the fighting. She'll never say anything to you about it, but she feels useless. Let her bolster her own confidence for once. Let her kill something. Let her do what she does best, Silas. What she was born for."_

I didn't like to think of Freya as born for killing, but Mara was right. As Dragonborn, Freya held the sole responsibility of ridding this world of the Destroyer. It was her destiny, and she was more than capable. I needed to let go of the desire to keep her from harm, and let her do her job.

But it's never easy to let go of the one thing you love most in the world.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Okay guys! Here we go. If Paarthurnax seems out of character, that because he probably is. Sorry. I go a little crazy with the dragon fights. :/ Oh well. Please review and tell me what you think. and point out mistakes. For some reason, my fingers didn't want to type properly at all. I guess because I'm kinda rushing. So if this chapter sucks, that's why. Sorry again. I hope you like it anyway. :)

Chapter 22

Despite the dark skies, we thought it best that we get to the Greybeards as soon as possible. I clambered up onto Silas neck and held on tight as we left the ground. I was hoping that the meeting between Silas and Paarthurnax would go as smoothly as possible, but you could never tell with dragons.

Wind buffeted us, and I nearly fell off as Silas fought to keep us in the air. His wings strained as we climbed higher into the gray skies, pelted by warm raindrops throughout our ascent. We neared the giant mountain, but had a long way to go before we reached the top.

As if he was in no hurry, Silas circled around the mountain, angling himself upwards so that we spiraled towards the top of the mountain. It was relaxing, and gave me time to gather my thoughts and prepare for what was coming.

My blood raced. I was nervous about revealing Silas to Paarthurnax. What if he couldn't help him turn back? Would Silas be stuck like this forever? He would lose everything because of me. I held back my tears, but guilt swallowed me again. I had destroyed Silas and made him into something he didn't want to be, all because I foolishly took on another follower.

Hadn't I learned anything from the others?

I turned my face to the sky and let the warm Spring rain wash away my fears and anxieties. We were nearing High Hrothgar now. The mountain's summit was still locked in winter's fierce grip despite the changing of the seasons below. The rain was noticeably colder, and grew more and more frigid the higher we got.

I gazed out across the plains, marveling at how far I could see, despite the haziness caused by the rain. I understood why Jurgen Windcaller built his fort halfway up the tallest mountain in Skyrim: the view was incredible.

I had traveled the Seven Thousand Steps many times before, but had always been driven by a purpose. I had never taken the time to enjoy how beautiful this place was. _What else have I missed in my haste?_ I thought.

"How far up the mountain do we have to go?" Silas called over the wind.

"You'll know," I replied. I didn't want to tell him openly that I was taking him to see a dragon and not the Greybeards. Another wave of guilt washed over me, but I swept it aside. _It's for his own good. _But another part of me rebelled.

If Paarthurnax attacked Silas before I got the chance to explain, Silas could be killed. But if I told Silas about Paarthurnax, would he agree to go? I knew in my heart that I should warn him. If Silas didn't want to speak with the old dragon, I couldn't force him.

"Silas? There's something I need to tell you. Could you find a spot clear enough to land?" I felt a deep rumble in his throat, and he slowed. He chose a spot close to the edge of the mountain, and the thought of accidentally tripping and falling down the side of the mountain made me shiver.

He landed roughly in the small space, and I jumped off. My legs wobbled slightly as I put my weight on them. I sat on a nearby rock so that my weak legs could rest a bit.

"What's wrong?" Silas asked after a while. I sat in silence, trying to find the best way to tell him.

"We're not going to the Greybeards," I started. "I think I will after you meet Paarthurnax and I'm sure you're not going to try and kill each other as soon as I'm gone. But they'll not see you."

He stared at me, though I could not tell the expression on his scaly face. "I gathered as much when we passed over High Hrothgar. Who is this Paarthurnax?"

I stamped snow from my boots, trying to keep the blood flowing to my feet. It was bitter cold, and the wind whipping around didn't help matters.

"Paarthurnax is a dragon."I closed my eyes and flinched away, waiting for the roar of indignation. But nothing happened. I opened one eye a crack and looked at Silas. He sat there, unmoving, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"You're not mad?" I asked warily.

"Why would I be?" The question caught me off guard.

"Because I was leading you blindly into a situation that could be potentially fatal."

A puff of smoke rose from Silas' nostrils and a gravelly sound emanated from his throat. _Laughing?_ He quieted down and fixed his eyes on me once again.

"I trust you, Freya," he finally said, and placed the flat of his head against my armored chest. "I will follow you to the end of the world and farther. You need only ask."

I placed my forehead against his bony skull and wrapped my arms around his spiked jaw. His warm breath seeped between the cracks in my armor, heating my chilled skin and lending me strength. We sat like that for what seemed like hours, comfortable and warm in the icy landscape.

Eventually I stood, and we silently continued our journey. We were silent for most of our travel, but as we neared Paarthurnax's domain, I gave Silas instruction.

"If he attacks you, don't fight back," I called over the icy wind. "I'll try to get his attention. If he sees me, he'll wait till I explain what I'm doing bringing another dragon to his hiding place. Hopefully, this will go smoothly and no one will get hurt."

"I could drop you off and give you time to talk to him," Silas proposed. "When you've explained, you could call for me."

It sounded like a good idea, but how would Silas hear me over the wind? I voiced my concern, and Silas hummed. I could think of nothing else to do. As we came into view of the summit, I steeled my nerves for the task ahead.

"Get ready!" Silas growled in response, and headed into a dive towards the clearing. I could barely make out Paarthurnax's gray form against the white snow and slate rocks as he rested on his word wall. All I saw was the burst of flame headed our way.

Silas let the wind carry him out of the path of the flames, and opened his wings. We were buffeted by the wind, and Silas struggled to keep us on our path. I gripped his neck tightly and prayed that we reach the ground safely.

I heard Silas growl loudly over the lashing gales, and then we hit the ground. Despite my bear-like grip, I was thrown from Silas' neck and tumbled to a stop in the snow. I leapt up despite a dagger like pain in my ribs and surveyed the damage.

Silas lay some ways away, wings thrashing and tail whipping as he tried to right himself. Paarthurnax had leapt into the air and was now circling overhead. I doubted he saw me, and chose to rush to Silas' aid instead of try to get the gray dragon's attention.

I called to Silas over the wind, hoping he would hear my pleas for him to lie still. I dodged his tail as it swept in the air, keeping both eyes on his wings. I struggled to reach his head, the deep snow dragging me down.

I could hear Paarthurnax shouting over the wind, but couldn't make out the words. I focused on my task, struggling to reach Silas and calm him before he hurt himself. Before I could help him, he heaved once and flipped himself, backing away from Paarthurnax where he hovered above.

_This was a bad idea. _Silas couldn't hear me, Paarthurnax couldn't see me, and I was but an ant beneath the feet of two giants. I backed away from Silas as fast as I could in the deep snow, but my feet were nearly frozen and I stumbled, falling to the snow.

The next thing I knew, Silas was on top of me. He was crouched over my prone form, eyes on the skies as he searched for Paarthurnax. I reached up and punched his chest, hoping he could feel my weak blow and realize I was beneath him.

He suddenly tucked his head, and I thought that maybe he had felt my punch. But it grew unbearably warm, and I realized that Paarthurnax was attacking Silas from the skies with his fire breath. The heat stopped, but Silas stayed where he was. The cold set in again, and I struggled to rise.

"Stay down!" Silas shouted. He crouched lower, and the earth rumbled. Paarthurnax had landed. Silas was protecting me, shielding me with his body. I was grateful, but knew that this battle needed to end soon.

"Let me up!" I yelled at Silas. He shook his head and roared at Paarthurnax, but did not attack. The older dragon snaked forward and snapped at Silas, but his jaws closed over air. Silas kept himself out of reach, but did not move from above me.

Paarthurnax reached out again, and managed to grab Silas' left wing in his teeth. I heard a sickening crunch as the thin bones broke. Silas shuddered above me, his head dropping to hang low. His eyes were squeezed shut, teeth bared in a soundless snarl. I could hear his wheezed breaths as he struggled through the pain.

This had to end.

Despite Silas' warnings, I crawled forward as quickly as I could. I didn't know how to get Paarthurnax's attention. He was currently trying to drag Silas forward over the snow. Red droplets showered the pristine whiteness as he dug his teeth in further and pulled.

"Paarthurnax!" I cried, struggling to my feet. He couldn't hear me. I did the only thing I could think of. "_YOL!"_

I watched the flames crash into Paarthurnax's face. In surprise, he released Silas' wing. I heard Silas groan behind me, and the ground trembled as he collapsed. Paarthurnax finally caught sight of me, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Dovahkiin?"


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Hey guys. Happy New Year. I figured I needed to get a chapter out because today is the last day of winter break. And I don't know when I'll get the chance to update again. School sucks, but I'm almost done. Maybe I'll get some inspiration for this story while I zone out during class. ;) Anywho, here's another chapter. I hope you like it. It was a tough one to write. Please review! Your comments make me want to write more!

Chapter 23

"What is going on here?" Paarthurnax questioned loudly. "Why have you brought this strange Dovah to my sanctuary?"

It took a minute for my addled mind to form the words. I was freezing, fear and adrenaline causing my heart to race. I trembled in the snow and forced words to my mouth.

"He's not a dragon. He's my friend. Somehow he absorbed a dragon soul and it turned him into this. Is there anything you can do?"

"Slow down, Dovahkiin. Catch your breath, and explain." I took another moment to try and calm myself, and then rushed through our story. I was worried about Silas. He hadn't moved since his collapse, and I desperately wanted to run to him.

When I was finished recounting our tale, Paarthurnax hummed. He made no move to speak, so I turned and fought my way through the snow to Silas' side. He heaved for breath, eyes still tightly closed, lying in the snow.

A patch of snow was colored dark red where his broken wing was resting. I placed a hand over the gaping wound, watchful of protruding shards of bone, and summoned my magic. I struggled as hard as I could, but could only knit a small patch of skin together.

I grew angry, despite my exhaustion. "Why can't I heal you?!" I shouted at the sky. "It's not fair! He takes care of me, but I can't even heal him. Why am I so useless?"

Despair overwhelmed me, and I fell back into the snow, curled into a ball. I cried, my tears freezing halfway down my cheeks. I heard Paarthurnax moving behind me, and hid my face in the crook of my arm. He extended a clawed wing and flipped me over to face the turbulent skies.

"You need rest, Dragonborn. You journey has been long and perilous. I will care for your friend, but I ask that you send Arngeir with bandages. Go now, and rest in peace."

I rose unsteadily to my feet and made my way to the path that led down the mountain to the fortress. I had to Shout constantly to keep the freezing winds away. I eventually made it down and stumbled into the huge stone building.

I was immediately assaulted by Arngeir. His words were a jumbled mess that fell on deaf ears. When he finished speaking, I relayed Paarthurnax's orders. He immediately shuffled off and began gathering supplies.

On cold-numbed feet, I dragged myself over to a bed, shrugging out of my armor, and then collapsed into a deep sleep.

O.o.O

With each heartbeat, my wound throbbed. The Greybeard had come with bandages and potions, but had only been able to heal a small portion. And so the painful part had come. By hand, he had shoved the splinters of bone back beneath my torn skin, reconstructing it.

"Like a puzzle," he had said. Needless to say, the entire process had been extremely painful. Paarthunax was not what I expected. He reminded me of a tree. Old and weathered and wise. He had apologized for his previous actions, stating that he had returned to his old ways, but that it would not happen again.

He had told me that Freya was at the fortress, safe and warm. I knew that she felt horribly about this mess we had gotten ourselves into, but did not know how to comfort her. All I wanted was her happiness, but all I ever accomplished was dragging her down.

"_She feels responsible for you current state," _Mara had told me. "_You must not tell her who is truly to blame. She will find out in due time."_

_In due time,_ I thought. _How long can Freya keep going with all of this guilt upon her?_

O.o.O

Always the mist. I grew tired of the unchanging landscape of my dreams. Running. Forever running. The black dragon, the Destroyer. Silas, swooping in from on high. It surprised me that I had taken so long to realize that it was Silas, not some other dragon that was disgruntled with Alduin's rule.

I cursed myself for being so slow, and drew my sword for battle. Charging forward, a battle cry on my lips, I felt a fire ignite within me. Silas attacked from above, and I attacked from whatever angle I could get.

I Shouted unfarmiliar Words. Alduin glowed with a fierce blue light, and stayed rooted to the ground. I attacked ferociously now, rage lending strength to my arms. We had the upper hand, and though Alduin was a mighty opponent, fear was creeping into his crimson eyes.

Blood covered the ground. I was covered in bruises and scratches. Silas fared no better. Alduin, however, was covered in deep gashes. Large patches of the thin wing membrane were charred and blackened by Silas' fire.

_We're winning!_ I thought ecstatically. My hope gave me new strength. I hacked at Alduin's right wing, and dodged his snapping jaws. I heard him inhale and ducked behind his body to avoid the fiery wrath spewing from his mouth.

The heat was intense, but when the flames receded, all warmth fled. The air became frigid, and I shivered in my armor. Suddenly, the scenery changed. Snow swirled around me, carried by the wind. I was high above the world, standing upon a tall mountain.

Silas was nowhere to be seen. Paarthurnax was crouched before me. He spoke, but his words did not reach my ears. Other dragons were covering every available surface, their glinting eyes focused on me. Paarthurnax left in a flurry of snow, and another dragon took his place.

Again, I could not make out the dragon's words. I kept wary eyes on the other dragons, some of which were taking off to circle the mountain top. Echoes of their calls could be heard from every direction.

The red dragon continued talking, but eventually he flew away as well. I was left alone in the cold, searching for Silas, but unable to find him. I called for him, and listened for whatever sounds I could hear over the icy wind.

There was nothing. I was completely and utterly alone. I woke screaming Silas' name.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry for taking so long to get this out. :/ school is depressing. But yeah. I'm not too happy with the ending on this one (it's a bit abrupt for my liking) and I feel like this chapter should be longer because I've been away so long. Maybe I can get to work on another chapter soon. Sorry for any mistakes. As always, enjoy! Thanks to all of you who review. It makes me happy. :)

Chapter 24

I felt hollow. It had been weeks since my dreams had taken a turn from being horrid to hopeful, and I had grown accustomed to the peace. I was frightened by the prospect of being alone. Silas had been my strength since we met, and I was loathe to lose him. I was beginning to realize how much he went through for me, things that he shouldn't have to go through. Such as becoming a dragon.

I sat in the cold, uncomfortable bed and stared at an intricate pattern that had been carved so delicately into the stone wall. The fortress had never failed to impress me with its frozen grandeur. It was beautiful, but I had no desire to stay any longer than I had to. The silence of the place unnerved me.

Dragging myself from beneath the blankets, I stretched and then donned my armor. My right shoulder protested each movement it made. I could feel the muscles twitch and writhe beneath my skin. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Taking an apple from one of the shelves, I ventured outside. The snow was blindingly bright. It sparkled in the sunlight, a shining blanket coating the frozen earth. The winds had calmed considerably so that everything was still and quiet. A bird chipped merrily as it flew by overhead.

I altered my course so that I was moving towards the stone steps leading up to the great arch and the path to the summit of the mountain. The air was thin and icy, and it burned my lungs. I was surprised to see that even the killer winds protecting the path had died down. I had no need to use a Shout to keep the gales at bay.

I moved slowly, making sure to maintain sturdy footing while simultaneously observing my surroundings. I thought of my impending battle with Alduin, wondering if he had forsaken Sovngarde to test my strength again, or for some other purpose.

Perhaps he had come back to resurrect more Dov to fight me. Or maybe he had grown bored in Sovngarde, and wished to show his strength. The trap to catch the Dragon Odahviing had taken much longer to prepare than I expected. For weeks I had been waiting for the courier to bring his fateful message. The message that would mean I moved towards doom, whether it be mine or Alduin's.

My heart thundered painfully in my chest as a storm of doubt swirled inside. The fate of the world rested with me. A skinny, clumsy girl. There were far better warriors than I, and yet I was chosen for this task. A blundering child.

A sense of despair washed over me as I realized that I might not live to see my twenty-fifth birthday. How horribly unfair that one as young as I was forced into the life of a killer. I wiped furiously at my tears and threw myself down in the snow. Better to die here, alone, than fail against the World Eater.

I could have kicked myself for being so pathetic.

When I could no longer feel my nose, I pushed myself up and onto my feet. I trudged forward, determined to reach Silas. By the time Paarthurnax's hulking form came into view, my breath came in ragged heaves. The frosty air clawed my throat so that each intake was agony. I trudged on.

Finally reaching Silas' sleeping form, I plopped down into the frozen fluff. I inspected his damaged wing arm from afar, noting that he needed new bandages, but also that the small shards of bone were in their rightful place. As far as I could tell.

The cold had sapped my strength. I sat in silence, glad that Paarthurnax was contemplating something obviously important, and had not yet acknowledged my presence. He hummed occasionally, nodding his massive skull as if agreeing with himself.

After a few minutes of rest, I clambered through the snow towards Silas' wound. I felt inadequate. Silas had healed me more than he could even know. He made me feel whole again, yet I could not even heal his broken bones. I loathed my weakness.

Beneath the bloodied bandages, the gaping tear in his blunt scales seemed almost healed. In a few places, the wound still bled, but was, for the most part, healed. I wondered if the bones beneath had knit themselves back together as well. I prodded the skin gently, hoping to feel whether or not the bone was whole.

"That hurts, you know."

I shrieked and jumped back, but the snow around my ankles hindered me. I ended up flat on my back, staring up at the clear blue sky. A shadow was cast over my face as Silas snaked his head into my view.

His eyes were wide and clear, the forest green reminding me of the trees at the foot of the mountain. We stared at each other, the minutes stretching on until he finally moved. He dropped his head, pressed his hard snout into my stomach, and then retreated.

"Dovahkiin." I turned my attention to Paarthurnax. "I would like to apologize for my actions. It has been many years since I have seen another of my kin. I thought perhaps Alduin had sent the boy to try and kill me."

Silas snorted from behind me, no doubt in indignation at being called a "boy".

"The fault is mine," I returned, ignoring Silas for the time being. "I should have come before and warned you."

Paarthurnax dipped his head, and returned to his muttering. I had expected him to say more. I turned back to Silas, only to find him melting the snow around him with his hot breath.

I could see his throat was glowing when he turned towards me. He was using a small amount of fire to heat his breath, making it hot enough to turn the snow to puddles of water that soaked away into the surrounding drifts. It was strange that he could control his fire without using even the first word in the shout.

Once the snow around him had been melted, he fixed his eyes on me. "Come," he said. "It should be warmer now."

I slowly made my way over to him, and once inside the circle, stamped my boots on the frozen earth to rid them of ice. Finding a warm place to settle near him, I sat and folded my legs beneath me. We sat in silence for nearly an hour, enjoying each other's company and the scenery.

"You are not at fault for as many things as you think you are." I looked up at him as he gazed out over the land. After a moment, he turned and fixed me with a piercing gaze. "Don't look at me like that; you know very well what I speak of, and you know that I am right."

I opened my mouth, intent on protesting, but Silas opened his mouth, letting a breath of flame escape before clamping his jaws shut with a click. I abruptly closed my mouth and stared at him, eyebrows knit and defiantly pouting.

He chuckled then, a raspy sound like many stones grating together. Smoke escaped his nostrils and wandered away with the breeze. I could feel my expression soften, and I knew deep down that he was right.

I blamed myself for many things that were out of my control.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Wheeew. I am SO sorry. I say that every time though. So I'm just gonna get out of the way and let you read. Enjoy peeps. Don't forget to review even though I don't deserve it i love you sorry bye.

Chapter 25

We lay in silence, stretched out to catch as much of the sun's warmth as we could. Paarthurnax had taken up his usual position atop the Word Wall and was silent in his contemplation. A few clouds drifted across the bright blue sky and I was comfortable. For a moment, I released my fear of the future and just enjoyed the moment.

My best friend was lying next to me, his wounds healing themselves as we rested, and I allowed myself to pretend that I wasn't the Dragonborn. That I was a normal Nord woman living a normal life. A life in which dragons were just legends and the world wasn't in mortal danger.

For just a second, I pictured myself standing outside Breezehome. A dark-haired, green-eyed girl was playing with an old gentle hound, and I was holding a swaddled bundle of a babe to my chest. I was smiling and laughing, not a trace of fear or strife to be seen. A normal life. Something that I wished for more and more every day.

I sighed and opened my eyes to reality. The familiar ache in my chest, born of longing for a life I would likely never have, flared up. I wiped a few tears from the corners of my eyes.

"It's not fair," I whispered. "Everyone dreams of being a hero. All I want is to be normal. To get married and have children and watch them grow and have children of their own. Why do I have to be the Dragonborn? What makes me so special?"

I hadn't expected an answer, but after a few moments Silas spoke, his gravelly voice quiet.

"Life is not often fair, Freya. Our destinies may take us far from the paths we would choose for ourselves, but only because we were chosen to do something greater. To be more than a housewife or a blacksmith or an innkeeper. The sooner we come to terms with what Fate has chosen for us, the better we will feel. Life is not fair, but it is still beautiful, and should not be taken for granted. You will not get another."

I knew life wasn't fair. I had known from the moment I had been arrested and taken to Helgen to be executed. I knew even before that, when my parents had been killed over a few leeks and cabbages. I knew when the Thieves Guild had taken me in as a starving child and tried to teach me to be like them. I knew it wasn't fair that I had stolen from people just like my parents, poor farmers scratching a living from the unforgiving earth.

I knew it wasn't fair, and yet I had to keep living. Even though I had wanted to give up, lie down, and not move again, something-or someone- had kept me going. _One more day,_ a voice would whisper from the dark recesses of my mind. _One more day._ By the time I reached Helgen, trussed up like an animal, I was ready. I welcomed the thought of the executioner's axe. But Alduin had ruined it.

Sometimes I wondered if he knew that he had saved his greatest foe's life. If he had known, why didn't he kill me then? It wouldn't have been very hard. It made more sense that he didn't know, that he never realized he had come so close to ending the miserable life of the one chosen to be his doom.

I could have laughed at the thought. After Helgen, the voice had continued its chant in my head. With each step I took, the words _one more day_ echoed across my thoughts. I had become so accustomed that I hadn't even noticed when I disappeared. I had tried to remember exactly the last time I had heard it. _Whiterun,_ I had decided. The day I met Silas, the voice stopped.

I hadn't needed it. Since finding Silas, I didn't have a problem living. The lives I had taken, the companions I had lost, each day I felt guilty. I hadn't felt worthy of the title Dragonborn, or the honor and responsibility that came with it. Silas was the light in the darkness.

And I had ruined his life.

"I'm so sorry, Silas." I had apologized to him many times before, but no amount of my sorrow would give him his human body back.

"For what?" He asked just like he always did. Like I was innocent and deserved blame for nothing,

"You know," I told him. I sat up and gazed at him. He opened one slitted green eye and sighed.

"The fault is not yours, Freya. It is mine, and Mara's, though she was only answering my pleas."

I stared at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

Silas was silent. His eye closed with a snick, and he sighed again. He lifted his head from the ground and focused a blazing emerald eye on me. After a moment, when I was becoming uncomfortable beneath the intensity of his stare, he spoke.

"What do you remember of the fight at Dragonbridge?"

"I… I…" Truthfully, I didn't remember much at all. Since Silas had taken on his new form, I hadn't had much time to think about what had happened. And I didn't really want to.

"I remember people screaming about a dragon. After that… It's dark, like I passed out. I remember waking up on my back, my armor full of holes. Speaking of armor, I still need to fix it." I poked a finger through one of the circular holes in the steel covering my abdomen. "I remember a circle of people, and you were, well…you."

Silas looked away out over the land, but his eyes were glazed and unfocused. He was looking, but not really seeing. When he spoke, his voice was strained.

"You were dying. The dragon had taken you in his teeth and was crushing the life out of you." He looked down, and his voice became soft. "When I finally dragged you away, you were covered in your own blood. I tried to heal you, but I couldn't stop the bleeding. I was losing you, and I was powerless to stop it.

So I prayed. I pleaded. I begged the gods to save you. To take my life instead of yours. But nothing happened. When I saw the soul coming, I thought that it might heal you. When it came to me, I knew I'd lost you. That I had failed to protect the person most valuable to the people of Tamriel. The person most valuable to me." He met my eyes for the briefest of moments.

"You can't imagine how relieved I was to see you when I woke up. I wondered why I was still alive, though I figured out soon enough. I was angry at first, but it faded. You're alive, and that's what matters. It's not your fault, Freya. It is mine."

I was speechless. Silas was willing to trade his life for mine. I had been dying, and he had saved me. He and whichever gods cared enough to save their people.

I was trying to form a reply when I heard my name being called. Arngeir was standing at the end of the path. He and Paarthurnax shared a nod in greeting, and then Arngeir turned to me.

"Dragonborn. There is a courier for you. He comes bearing a message from Jarl Balgruuf, in Whiterun."

My heart stopped beating.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Okay. So I've been writing at school (like chapter25-27 ish) and I've transferred tem from paper to my kindle (which doesn't have italics and stuff) so if there are any mistakes please let me know. Sorry. I'm on spring break right now, and I've been spending most of my time out at the barn with my horse. Hopefully i can get the rest of the chapters I've written up for you guys before too long. Terribly sorry for the long wait, but school makes me want to shoot myself in the face sometimes. For a while after Christmas I got really depressed and never wanted to do anything but sleep and hang out with my boyfriend because he makes me happy. But I'm better now and I only have a week and four days before I'm out of school, and I graduate May 15th. So I should have more time to wrote and such. I'm not gonna promise anything, but I will try. And I'm not gonna give up on this story! So yeah. Thanks big time for sticking in there and hanging on. I'm sorry I make you guys wait so long. LOVE YOU ALL! review please, even though I don't deserve it! Enjoy. :)

Chapter 26

Everything was numb. I knew I should be walking, but I couldn't get my feet to move. All I could think was _nonononono_. Arngeir was staring at me, waiting for me to move. But I couldn't. I was frozen, sitting on the frosty ground, unable to do anything.

My heart hammered against my ribs. My stomach twisted and fluttered painfully. I could barely breathe.

"Dragonborn?" Arngeir looked worried.

_Nononononono_... it was too soon. I wasn't ready. _A few more days, please. I don't want to die. I've barely lived!_

I felt warm air against my back, lifting my hair off my shoulders. Silas placed the hard tip of his snout against the small of my back and pushed me gently toward the path down the mountain.

_I can't_, I wanted to tell him. _Don't make me. Please, Silas, don't make me do this._ But my body gave way, my right foot slipping forward over the frozen ground. I knew I couldn't fight Silas's strength, but I tried nonetheless.

When I braced myself against him, he pushed harder. The flat of his skull was against my back, and soon I was sliding forward into the snow.

"It is just a messenger, Freya," he whispered. And he was right. A simple courier, not Alduin. Not the World Eater, with his gleaming teeth and his mouth like a furnace. A man, not a dragon god. A man.

_I have faced many men before._

The pressure was gone from my back. I stood, breath misting in the frigid air, and stepped forward. I could feel Silas' eyes on my back, lending his strength in whatever way he could.

The walk down to High Hrothgar was a blur. Arngeir was silent, picking his way carefully down the treacherous path. When we reached the courtyard, he pulled open the heavy wooden door and ushered me through ahead of him.

The courier stood just inside the main door to the fortress, looking very uncomfortable. He was shivering, shifting his weight from foot to foot. When he saw me, he straightened.

"Lady Dragonborn, the Jarl of Whiterun sent me to inform you that the great trap is ready, and that he eagerly awaits your arrival. He also bids that you hurry. The people are growing restless."

While he was speaking, his eyes flicked down repeatedly to the jagged tears in my armor. I ignored the looks, thanked him, and sent him on his way.

The numbness faded, replaced with determination. The fear was still there, though. I would never be rid of it, it seemed. It was constant, and had been since I had first realized my destiny.

Hurry, the Jarl had bid me. With Silas' wing still broken, I would have to go on foot. A day to get down the mountain if I encountered no trouble. Another ten if I went north to get around the base of the mountain. Five if I took the path that cut throughout the mountain range. Helgen lay on that path, though, and I had not been near the place since the day Alduin had shown up and inadvertently saved my life.

At the rate Silas was healing, perhaps he would be able to fly me down. With him, the journey would take less than half a day. And I wouldn't be alone. I could delay here for a few more days, however long it took for him to heal, and fly down when he was ready. I would still arrive at the city faster than if I had walked the whole way.

Although if I walked, I would have more time to prepare myself for the task ahead. Time to think. Time to steel my resolve and to tell myself that I could do it, that I could kill Alduin and save the people relying on me. Time, perhaps, to pray.

Silas had said that the gods had saved me and turned him into a dragon to pay for it. But why? Silas seemed to be doing fine, almost comfortable in this new form. Shouldn't the price for a life be something more terrible?

I was grateful that the gods hadn't taken Silas from me, but I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something more important.

I trudged back up to the peak of the mountain. Silas was lying where I'd left him, his head resting on a snow-encrusted boulder. His eyes were closed, but snapped open when he heard me struggling through the knee-deep powder. He lifted his spiked head from the rock and fixed one of his slitted green eyes on me.

"I have been summoned," I said. "The trap at Dragonsreach is ready. I must go and trap Odahviing."

I placed a hand on his broken wing, feeling the heat from his body seep into my chilled fingers. It was too much to ask him to go. He had done so much for me already, I could not bear to ask him to fly with a broken wing. Even if we waited for it to heal, it might still pain him.

"When will you leave?" he asked. I could not meet his eyes.

"Tomorrow," I said. "At dawn." He was silent. I didn't want to face him. I didn't want to see how he felt about me leaving. I didn't want him to see the pain and fear I was certain was etched in my face, pain and fear borne of leaving him behind and being alone again.

I walked to the edge of the mountain and stood on a rock that jutted out over the empty air. It was quiet, the sun slowly sinking so that the edge the jagged jaws of the low mountain pierced the glowing golden orb. I watched the world turn peach and crimson, the low clouds set on fire by the light, then slowly grow darker. The sunset was imprinted in my mind so that when I closed my eyes to sleep, it lingered.

But it was not the sunset. It was the dawn. I was close enough to the clouds that I could reach up and touch them. To either side, Silas' wings stretched, carrying us toward the rising sun. The breeze played at my hair so that it streamed behind me. My fear of falling was non-existent. I spread my arms wide, mimicking Silas' wings, and splayed my fingers.

Lifting my face, I extended one arm up towards the clouds. The moment my fingers made contact with the soft fluff, time slowed. I looked down at Silas. His eyes were closed, his features softer than I'd ever seen them before. He looked...content.

I heard the slow rumble of thunder. Behind us, in the darkness of the world still swallowed by the night, threatening clouds loomed. We got farther away from the storm, and it seemed to grow smaller.

In the light, we were untouchable, and I felt whole. No troubles darkened my heart. I was weightless, calm. At peace. I smiled. It was over.

When I woke in the pre-dawn darkness and chill of High Hrothgar, the weight returned. My pack, stuffed with provisions enough to last a month, sat at the end of my bed. My ruined armor sat near the hearth, the foresight dancing dully in the steely depths.

I rose, already weary at the thought of leaving, and dressed myself. I strapped a pouch of gold, full enough to buy new armor, to my waist. I preferred to make my own, but there wouldn't be enough time. I strapped a long bow to my back and my sword to my left hip.

It was time to go.

The wind was back in full force, so I had to Shout every few minutes to clear the weather and keep myself from freezing to death. When I finally reached the summit, nearly frozen and exhausted, Silas was not there.

Paarthurnax was also missing. I had never seen him stray far from the word wall. Even when he fought Silas, it had always been in his sight.

A roar shook the earth and I drew my sword, prepared to fight. But I couldn't see anything. The wind was fierce and whipped snow into my eyes. I was blind.

I saw the clawed foot too late and didn't even have time to scream before sharp talons closed around my torso and I was lifted from the ground.


End file.
